¶ The Battleground of Unforgiveness
Here's something you need to understand. We're not in a playground. We live in a battleground. People want clicks. So you're going to amp something up. The Bible says that gossip is like a tasty truffle. So here's... satan he's called the god little g of this world can you imagine the enemy's delight in the fact that now we have the ability to spread our perceived injustices through social media
And then the algorithm feeds it even more. So the enemy's like, they're helping me do my job. This is leading to spiritual blindness. I've said this for years. I'm going to say it again. I want you to listen to me. A person. that cannot forgive is a Christian that doesn't realize what they've been forgiven of. I'm not pointing fingers. 35 years ago, this was me. He hurt me so bad.
He was an authority over me. He was a father figure to me. He hurt me so bad and I was wounded until I got out of the offense and all of a sudden I saw clearly and I realized Hey everybody, welcome to the Jon Bevere podcast. I'm Jon Bevere, joined by my son Arden. Arden, it's great to see you today. So good to be here as always, Dad. Yes, I love doing this program with you and I get so many people who say they just love hearing what you have to say.
have to add what you ask because you ask me things that I Don't see and fill in the gaps. And it's just so wonderful to have somebody who's 31 years old actually bringing in your generation's perspective and questions. And so I want to thank you so much from the depths of my heart for just being. willing to do this well dad it's always the biggest honor and i think it's always great just to be able to ask these questions because this is what we've done for i don't know 20 plus years because
I used to travel with you and I would just ask you questions. And so the fact that I get to do this, it's always so much of a joy.
Please feel free, ask questions. We just completed talking about the seven churches of Revelation because we know Jesus is coming so soon. To be honest with you, Arden, I have been on this theme of the return of the Lord, and I just can't shake it. And it's actually one of the... things that Jesus talked about is the very main subject of what we're going to talk about on this podcast.
¶ The Expanding Trap of Offense
And I want to open it up by saying there is absolutely a deadly, deadly trap that millions, and I'm not exaggerating when I'm saying this, millions are falling into a deadly trap. 31 years ago, I wrote this book called The Bait of Satan. And, you know, you have long arms. And there's the book. it says you know it it it's just it's amazing how this thing has lasted in 30 years and well and it's because it's just such a timeless thing but then not only that is not a lot of people even in
today's day has actually read it. Like I remember we went to a very prominent church and I think most people, most Christians have read it. And I remember you spoke on it and the pastor got up afterwards and said, how many of you ever heard that message? And I think it was like 90% of them raised their hands where it was a...
church that we go to very regularly. And so it's such a needed message. Like I would say it's probably one of the most important messages that you have ever written. And so if you're a fan of the awe of God or all these other books and you've not read Beta Satan, I think it's one of the most...
beneficial ones to your spiritual walk. I run into people like it too. And what's interesting is this book has passed 6 million copies. So it tells me there's just like a new generation because 30 years is a long time. 40 years we consider to be a generation, right? There's just a new generation that's not... familiar with it, yet I find that this message is more relevant today than it was 31 years ago when it was written. And in those days, the major trap was people being hurt by people.
that were close to them. So that's the trap. It's being offended. People were- were very, very upset. They were mistreated. They were unfairly treated at work or at church or in their families. And we just kept seeing it over and over. And I started preaching. And Arden, when I've preached on this... I've never seen once, except for one time, excuse me, I've only seen one time in 31 years of preaching on this, less than 50% of the people in churches respond or conferences respond. Yeah.
I remember one time I was in a 10,000, there was 10,000 people in this conference. It was in a massive arena. When I said, every one of you that are offended, after speaking the word of God, please stand up. I want to pray for you to be released, to forgive and to be released from this torment. 80%, 8,000 people stood up.
I, first of all, had to get over the shock of seeing that many people stand up. But, boy, the freedom that came into that place. Yeah. And what the greatest deception is and what the— The greatest bait of this trap is you think you're free when in reality you go into prison. Yeah. Let me just frame it like that. Yeah. Okay. I love this quote before you go into this because you said prison. One of my favorite quotes is to forgive is to set someone free only to realize that a person was you. Yes.
I'm like, I love that. And that is exactly what it is. And even James 17, I hope people understand this. It says it's impossible. That an offense will not come. That's Luke chapter 17. Luke chapter 17. Sorry. Jesus made this. Jesus, it's impossible. That offense will not come. And not only that, he says, an offended brother is, you might as well put a, it's better if they had a millstone tied.
around their neck and drop them. Whoa, let's break that down. Yeah. So Jesus is saying, if you breathe there, you're going to have the opportunity to be offended, right? All right. So. I want to say what you do with that offense is going to determine what your future is going to look like. Either you're going to be stronger or you're going to be bitter. But you'll never be the same when somebody has done something unjust to you.
Okay? And we're going to cover this. And I'm not going to rush this because, you know, we were praying right here in this studio before we started this. And I just felt the burden of millions of people that have been entrapped, ensnared. by this trap, by the bait of Satan. And so the thing that is so alarming me is when I wrote the book 31 years ago, it was pretty much what people have done to me. Now it's expanded.
It's expanded decades later to now people are offended by either real or perceived, real or perceived social injustices. Okay? Now, in other words, I'm offended because of what others are doing to others. Yeah. You're taking on other people. And so we just— basically made the prison larger. We, in essence, made the trap even bigger, more potent, more dangerous, all right? This offense, and I can't say this strong enough, is being fed.
and even accelerated by social media, by news media, by podcasts, and by talk shows. And due to the blindness occurring from the offense. most often it's not even the real story. So people are being offended, carrying the fence by something that's not even the accurate story. because of the way it's being twisted, amped up by social media. Let's just be honest. I mean, I think everybody understands this, but I'm gonna say it. People want clicks on social media.
So you're going to amp something up or even make it unrealistic in order to get people. Why? Because the Bible says the gossip. is like a tasty truffle. It's delicious to the soul, but when we eat it, it turns into bitterness in our bodies. Yeah. Well, can I even say this? I think what we're looking at right now is the algorithm.
is what is feeding that. Because the algorithm will feed whatever it is your eyes continue to keep looking at. And so instead of just, oh man, I stumbled upon something, it's like, oh, if you kind of started to... partake in that tasty treat that you think is good, the algorithm's just going to keep giving you more and more. And then before you know it, it's gossip.
You know, it's exactly that is people who love to gossip. They they look for any and every opportunity to say something. They look for any person to go and have this conversation about someone else that is not actually pertaining to them. And it just like. fixes something inside of them but that's essentially what's happening with the algorithm on social media is you have feeding you offensive material exactly and then you also have completely
different stories that are taking place based on whatever you continue to look at. It's feeding you. one thing over here to someone who's looking at one thing and just continuing to believe one narrative and it's feeding you something else. And that's even what you see is when there's an offense between two people is you have two different sides that almost create.
When it's, you know, they both go and start sharing with anyone and everyone about the offense that they have and their mistrust in that other person. And then you have two different parties or two different people groups that have completely different stories from what actually did happen and what actually is happening. happening in this situation, which is why Matthew 18 is so clear is you're supposed to go directly to your brother and work out that forgiveness between the two of you.
Hey guys, we're going to stop right there just for a brief moment because I care greatly about health because these bodies as believers aren't ours. They belong to the Holy Spirit and therefore we need to put in it. what will cause us to live long so we can serve him more yeah and that's why we're so excited that we get the chance to partner with good ranchers.com they have meat that we can trust
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¶ Prophecies on Offense and Walls
So here's Satan, the prince of the power of the air. That's what he's called. He's called the god, little g, of this world. Paul talks about the course of this world. So can you imagine the enemy's delight in the fact that now we have the ability to spread offense in just... our perceived injustices through social media, and then the algorithm feeds it even more. So the enemy's like, they're helping me do my job.
Yeah, it's scary. And no, I know, I shouldn't even laugh because it's so scary. And this is where people now are getting pulled into this trap so much more quicker. And this is why Jesus... talked about this. I mean, the disciples, they're on the Temple Mount, they're admiring the beauty of the temple, because it was several buildings. Herod greatly enhanced the temple that Zerubbabel built, right?
And so it's absolutely gorgeous. It was the glory of the latter temple was even greater than Solomon's glory because of what Herod had added to it. And they're admiring these buildings. And Jesus said, hey, there's not going to be one stone left upon the other. And that triggered the disciples to say, what are going to be the signs that are going to happen before this takes place? But then they added, and before you return.
and the end of the age. So they asked him three things. So Jesus starts talking to them about what is going to happen before he returns. Not just... Before the stones were overthrown, that would be from their time till 70 AD when Titus and Roman's armies came in and literally destroyed. And what happened was they found out that the Jews had hidden gold coins.
in the walls and also were swallowing them, they disemboweled the Jews. They killed anywhere from 600,000 to a million Jews, they estimate, because they found out, the Roman soldiers, that they are hiding their coins by swallowing them, and they were hiding their coins. coins in the walls. Literally, they tore. I have been on site when I have been told by my guides, every single stone they pulled apart looking for more gold.
But he also was telling them about what would happen right before his return. And I believe Matthew chapter 24 verses 10 through 14 apply to both time periods. So it applies to us. And Jesus said, and then many. So the Greek word for many means a very large number. So we're not talking about just a few, a small remnant. It's very opposite of a remnant. It means large. And as a matter of fact, it is sometimes...
It's counterpart word. There's two very similar Greek words. The counterpart word is used for majority or most. All right. So this is a large number. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Now, this is a progression. An offended person will eventually betray. And if a betrayal is not addressed, it can lead to hatred.
Now, where we get that from is Proverbs 18, verse 19 says, a brother, and I think it's interesting that it says a brother, offended is harder to win than a strong city. So in the days of Solomon, who wrote... the book of Proverbs, what did strong cities have around them? They had walls. What were walls built for you? They were built for protection. So those walls were built to keep out those people that you perceived were against you and allow in those people that you believed were for you.
thereby an offended person builds walls. Now, these walls aren't physical walls. They're emotional walls. Yeah. Because the Apostle Paul makes a statement in 2 Corinthians 10. He said, though we walk in the flesh, we don't war in the flesh. So here's something you need to understand. We're not in a playground. We live in a battleground.
The enemy is called the prince of the power of the air. He is lurking around every corner of darkness looking for ways of deceiving, looking for ways of destroying people. Even Peter says he is like a roaming lion. seeking whom he may devour. Now, isn't it interesting, seeking whom? Who are the whom's that he can devour? I believe we can open doors to him.
If you look at God, right back from the beginning, here's Abel. He obeys God in his offering. Here's Cain. He tries to bring the offering done his way. And when God rejects... cain and his offering i i think that that to me is mind-blowing not don't only does god reject the offering it says clearly in scripture god rejected cain and his offering cain's furious and god comes to him and says cain
If you just obey me, you'll be accepted just like your brother. But if you don't obey me, sin is lying at the door and its desire is for you. But you, Cain, should rule over it. Now, there is so much in that. God is saying to Cain, look, if you don't obey me, you open up a door. And that door is going to allow... Sin to come in. On hatred for your brother. Hatred. Yeah. And that's the first thing outside of the garden. Yes, is hatred. And I'm going to show you.
how John elaborates on this, okay? Because I was reading 1 John just the other day, and I saw something I've never seen before that we're gonna get to before the end of this podcast.
¶ Walls Versus Healthy Boundaries
And can I ask you, though, and maybe I'm skipping ahead, but I think some people might. already hear the word walls and i know i've gone through situations when i've been offended with someone i'm like yeah i'm just not gonna let them in like and i'm just i'm gonna hold them at an arm's distance um but that was someone who was a brother in christ that i i wanted a relationship with
What's the difference between a wall and a boundary, where you're putting up a healthy boundary? That's such a good question. No, you did not get ahead. A wall is like, I won't let you in. You're done. I'm through with you, and I'll be cordial to you. I mean, Ammon put up a wall with Absalom, and he basically didn't speak good or evil to him. That wall...
And we're going to get to this. He says, many will be offended, betray one another, hate one another. The word hate, I literally have the Greek word, and the word hate means loveless. So it literally means... there's a vacuum and there's absolutely no love in there. So in other words, that wall, think of a vacuum. It's got a wall and it doesn't allow air in.
It's completely airless, and the vacuum has sucked all the air out, and it's got walls to keep air from coming in, right? So a lot of people think hatred. is I'm mad at you. I'm yelling at you. Now, to be honest with you, you might be fighting for a relationship if somebody's yelling. Absalom hated Ammon.
He neither spoke good nor evil to him. So in other words, he put up that wall, right? There's no love in there at all, okay? And what does it lead him to do two years later? He kills his own brother. So we've got the same thing with Cain. Cain opens up this door, and what comes in is darkness. And now he's so angry with his brother, he kills his own brother.
Do you know, and we actually have the stats. Can I even say this as you're finding that? I think what even you're beautifully saying is there's nothing there. I think when you put up a boundary, it's almost like.
you still want good for that person. You still love them. You still see that that person is a child of God, made in the image of God. And though the behavior and the things that they're doing are not... correlation at all what god would want you to be connected to or have in your life you still see them the way that god sees them and you but you put up a safeguard to make sure that you're not
not getting yourself into a continual bad place, but yet you're still praying over them, speaking over them, and believing God's going to restore them. I'm with a gentleman on a golf course last week. And this gentleman asked me, he just said, look, my brother, and he just started sharing some of the horrific things his brother was doing. And he said, you know, John, you know, I could tell.
He hadn't forgiven him. And I said, look, I remember myself saying the same things you're saying to me right now. And do you know what got me free? is when I started praying for the person who really, really hurt me. Whatever I wanted God to do in my life, I prayed for him. And he said, oh man, that's so hard to do. And I said, yes, it's hard to do. And I said to him, I said, look, physical therapy is not easy, but physical therapy heals you. And Paul makes a statement in Acts 24, 16. He said,
And this is King James Version. And herein do I always exercise myself to be free from offense with God and man. Now, maybe I'll talk about more of that later. But I said to him, I said, do you understand? that I realized I had to do the exercise of praying for him. Because David says in Psalm 35, he said, these people had rewarded him evil. He had done them good and they rewarded him evil. He said, but when...
They were sick, these people that had done him evil. He said, I fasted for them like my brother or my mother. And I said to this gentleman on the golf course, I said, have you done that? Have you prayed for your brother, what you want God to do in your life? He said, no, I really haven't. And he said, but John, then he came back and he said, John, he's so abusive to my kids. He's so abusive with our family. And I said, listen, you can put up.
healthy boundaries, but still love him. I said, Jesus said, bless those that curse you, right? I said, you can send him notes, send him texts saying how much you love him, how you're... You're playing for his welfare. If you see him financially in trouble, give him aid. But that doesn't mean you spend time and you're going to coffee with him once a week or inviting him over for Thanksgiving when he's being abusive with your family.
It just means that you keep your heart in a place where you're blessing, you're giving. So the boundary... is to protect your family and you from abusive behavior. But the wall says, I'm shutting out my affections, my love, my compassion, my giving. So I said, he's the person. Which puts you in a prison.
Yep. And I said, he's the person. You wall yourself up. Yeah. I said, you bless all these people. You give to all these people. Because this is a very generous man I'm with on the golf course. I said, you give to all these people. What are you giving to him? What are you doing to bless him? How are you? doing good yeah and it it challenged he realized and because he's such a godly man this gentleman i was with and he said oh my gosh i see it and i said to be honest with you when you really
really have forgiven him. I said, that sting won't be there. You'll have a healthy boundary up. I said, I've got a person that I prayed for for years, and I said, I've got a healthy boundary up. I'm not going to go to that person's house. This person happens to be in my family. I'm not going to spend time hanging out with that person because it's not healthy. Okay?
But yet I'm constantly reaching out, constantly—well, I'm not constantly. I'm reaching out and blessing this person, and I try to think of ways to do it. So that's the difference. Have I answered? I want to make sure I've answered your question. No, I think that's really helpful because I think people hear this and they immediately are like, but it's an abusive relationship and they throw out like...
a lot of the teaching around offense because of an abusive relationship. And I think that correlation that you just showed was so powerful, the difference between boundary and walls, because if you put up the wall, you were imprisoning yourself. Yourself. Yes. That's it.
¶ The Danger of Lovelessness
Yeah. Okay. Go ahead. Sorry. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. There is actually, they've done some surveys and thanks to our producer, we've got some, but Buckley program college student survey. They did this survey, and here's the statement. If someone is using hate speech or making racially charged comments, physical violence can be justified to prevent this person from... espousing their hateful views. 41.3% of the students agreed. Physical violence can be justified. Okay? 41.3%.
All right. Less than 50 percent disagreed and about 10 percent were unsure. I mean, that's scary. All right. So now what do we have here?
we basically have a situation that the door's opening, darkness is coming in, or wickedness is coming in. I mean, let me just say this. The number one... commandment of the satanic bible is do what you will in other words just break god's laws whatever disobey god and the more you do it the more power you get because they want the door open they want the power of darkness in them well that That spiritual law applies to everyone. If I'm a believer and I'm walking in...
disobedience. In other words, if God tells me to forgive as Christ has forgiven me, but I'm not doing it, I'm opening the door because I'm breaking his commandment. I'm going to show this to you. This is... crazy. I mean, I saw this in 1 John, and how many times have I read 1 John? I wish I would have saw this when I wrote the bait of Satan, because I definitely would have put it in here. But this is kind of a progression, 1 John 2 and 3.
John says, and we can be sure that we know Jesus if we obey his commands, his commandments. Now. Arden, say the word commandments. Commandments. Because we're going to highlight this word because I want you to notice how this word continues to flow. If someone claims, I know God. I know Jesus Christ. I am a Christian. I am a believer. But doesn't obey God's commands. Say commands. Commands. That person's a liar or deceived and is not living in the truth.
But those who obey God's word, so in other words, now he's not saying commands, he's saying obey God's word, because do you know, Artin, there's over 500 commands in the New Testament, all right? In other words, the Old Testament... We had to obey the commands to have a relationship with God. It proved that we could never do it, but the New Testament, God put his spirit in us. He put his divine nature in us, so now we can obey the commands, right, from our heart.
That's why Jesus said in the Old Testament you had to actually jump in bed with a woman. In the New Testament, just look at a woman and you're breaking the commands because I've given you the ability to do it. It's always been that way, but now it's a higher law. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. So I want you to know, notice this. Verse three, we can be sure. This is how we...
This is how we're sure we know Jesus Christ. Then in verse 5, he says, this is how we know we are living in him. By obeying his commands, right? Those who say they live in God. should live their lives as Jesus did. Now listen to verse seven. Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment. Ardents say commandment. Commandment. I want everybody to be aware of this. I'm not writing a new commandment for you. Rather, it's an old one.
you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment, what is it? To love one another. Yeah. Is the same message you heard before. Yet. It's also new. In other words, Jesus kind of amped it up when he said, love one another as I've loved you. And what Jesus did is he was willing to die for us before we ever said, I'm sorry. He was willing to die for us. Yeah.
We were able to forgive. He didn't say, I'm going to die for you and you owe reparations. You got to pay me back for what you did to me. No, he freely forgave us. Yeah. Okay. And this is amazing. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment. He died for us when we didn't deserve it. And you also are living it for darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining.
If anyone claims, so here we are, somebody's claiming I'm a believer, I am living in the light, I'm following Jesus Christ, I am a believer, but hates a fellow believer. That person is still living in darkness. So he really believes he's following Jesus. He really believes he's in the light. Now, listen to the word hate. He's got a vacuum of love.
So in other words, it doesn't mean he's angry at the person. It doesn't mean he's raging mad. It just means he has no love. Okay? But he is a... loveless attitude towards a loveless heart posture towards a fellow believer that person's still living notice it says living in darkness anyone who
loves a fellow believer, is living in the light, and does not cause others to stumble. Stop right there. Now, wait a minute. Cause others to stumble? So in other words, this person who's truly walking in the love of God, is not going to release words, it's not going to release reels, not going to release podcasts that are going to cause others to stumble. Okay?
So, in other words, they're wells of truth. They're releasing rivers of living water. The people that are still offended still have this loveless heart towards... fellow believers, whether it's a former pastor, whether it's somebody who goes to a different church, somebody who- Father and mother. A father and mother, somebody in the family, right?
You are going to cause people to stumble because now you're releasing tainted waters of bitterness. That's why the Bible says, be very careful. There's not a root of bitterness in you. of which many become defiled. Defiled means you take something that is good and you make it into rotten. Okay? But anyone who... Can we just hang on one second? You take anything that is good and you are defiling it. Correct. So, I mean, I think right there...
Like almost that can be your check on social media. That could be your check on these things that you're intaking is if you are. sharing something, what you perceive out of a good heart, but yet it's actually out of offended heart and you think you're fighting injustices, you're fighting the things, you're fighting the people that disagree with you on it. If you're doing that,
You could even be sharing correct information, but you have defiled. Correct. Correct. Thank you. You're grabbing it. So I remember one time a pastor told me. I've been traveling for 36 years, Arden, but I'll never forget this. This pastor stayed faithful.
As far as I know, for years and years, he was older than me at the time. I think he stayed faithful to, matter of fact, I'm almost sure he stayed faithful to the very end. And he looked at me and he said, John, I just don't look at the words that are spoken by guests that I have come into my pulpit. He said, I look at the spirit that is released. He said, I've had men come in and say all the right words, and yet...
There were real issues in my congregation for a couple weeks after they left, and I realized later on finding out there was something major wrong, he was causing my people to basically stumble. And he said, I had to address what was being released. And he said, but it's not just obvious by the words. He said, so... As a shepherd of my people, I not only listen to what they say, I listen to what's being released. And I'm telling you, there are people that they really believe they're protecting.
But they're doing it out of an offended heart. They're doing it out of darkness. So they're causing others to stumble. But now listen to this. But anyone who hates, so again, put in a vacuum of love. a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Okay? This is why I can't even comprehend prejudice.
I mean, Paul makes the statement, there's neither Jew nor Greek, but a new creation. It's like, for years and years, I've tried to comprehend this. It's like saying, you live in a brown house. I live in a... I live in a blue house. I'll have nothing to do with you. And it goes both ways. I've stood up in massive congregations that were predominantly a different race of people than me.
and watched people storm out when they saw I was a white guy. I've seen the terrible things that have been done to black people. I've seen the terrible things that are done to Asian people. I've seen the things that have been done to people that are Jews, people that are... Arabic from the Middle East. And what it shows is the fact, do you really understand that you're a new creation? That there's only two races of people on this earth. There's the new creation.
And there's the lost. That's it. That's what Paul's writing. He's saying there's neither Jew nor Greek. There's not Gentile. There's not barbarian. But you're all one in Christ. There is the new creation.
¶ Societal Blindness and Division
There is the lost. Yeah. I think I'm seeing this becoming more and more an issue as well because I think obviously younger and younger people are getting social media. and they are building up their offenses and building up their understanding of offenses. When I look at my life, I remember I don't think I really battled an offense, like a strong, strong offense that I had to work through until I was 21.
And I look at these kids that are getting it, and it's almost like it's breeded into our society nowadays, where these kids are getting social media. They're getting the opportunity to be offended with someone that they don't know, with an idea that they don't understand, with no solution for reconciliation to actually take place from when they're about. 10, 8 years old walking around with their smartphones. And it's almost like this...
is becoming so much of a cultural norm. Right. And everything we're talking about, even here. Prince of the Power of the Year. Yes. Go ahead. Is this last part is having been blinded by the darkness. This is leading to... spiritual blindness yes like the the reality of our day really really believe you're right when you're wrong so but i'm looking at right now and like my heart is for this generation is we have a generation being raised up
with this just being put into their faces, and almost it's seeming as it's a normal place, but yet they're completely being led into an opportunity to be 100% spiritually blind. And that's scary. Like that breaks my heart for this generation of just knowing what they have to navigate. I remember when I walked through a fence, I was offended with a brother for a whole entire year. And I remember the pain, the frustrations, the hurts, the constantly feeling like no one knows.
why it is I'm mad no one no one like oh I was 100% right I felt like I felt like I felt like I was 100% right and everyone I would grab anyone that believed my story And I just think about that and think about how people will nowadays just take on these offenses that come into them and children will take on these things and what it's doing to this generation. It just, my heart's breaking for that right now.
So then you go into 1 John 3. Yeah. And this is what I didn't realize is this is a continuation. So what commandment does he specifically point out about hating, having a vacuum with no love? towards a fellow believer, right? So anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. What is sin? Breaking the commandments of God, right? But anyone who keeps on sinning really doesn't know who he is. Dear children,
Don't let anyone deceive you about this. Stop right there. What is John doing? He's trying to protect us from the massive offense that Jesus said would occur right before his second coming. So don't let anyone deceive you about this because you know what Jesus' next statement is? Many will be offended, will betray one another, will hate one another. He said, then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Who are the many that are going to deceive? The many that are offended?
That have now betrayed each other? Yeah. Well, and we talked about this a couple times ago, and I just want to make sure, is that Addison said this, is that false prophets in the Bible, they always leverage people's pain. Pain. And that's what... That's what many false prophets will do. They will take people who are hurt.
They don't even know a reason why, and they will leverage that. Let me give you an example. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. False prophets are called wolves in sheep's clothing. Not wolves in pastor's clothing, shepherd's clothing, sheep's clothing, okay? So... I'm going to go back to the Charlie Kirk. I know this is toxic. This may trigger, but would you just hear me out? I look at this. A white man kills a white man. This white man that he kills is a father.
loves his wife dearly, loves his children, and an outspoken believer, he's made... Maybe a bad comment. Maybe he has. He's made a few comments. I know I've made comments that I wish so much I could strike from the record, but unfortunately they got recorded and I can go back and I can pull up some really... stupid comments I made when I was in my 20s. But he makes a comment.
And now you have a whole group of people that have turned this thing into the loss of a servant of God who preached the gospel on multiple college campuses, who love God, who I know. I actually spoke in many of his conferences, and there were people, there were many people of different nationalities speaking. They've turned the whole thing into the fact that it's a race thing. It's a tribal thing.
So now I'm asking. There's even a clip of a lady saying, like, I agree with, I really appreciate the stance he had on things, but the things that he said about this, I can't. I can't get... Why do we talk about that? We've had somebody killed who's a father, who's a husband, who was doing everything he could to preach the gospel to lost students on college campuses.
We don't look at the 99% that he did so beautifully. We're focusing on the 0.01% maybe that he said wrong. Jesus did such extreme teachings at times. you know, how much, what was it? How much of the crowd walked away? And he looks at his disciples and says, are you going to leave too? And they're like, well, where else are we going to go?
And I'm not saying that he was doing extreme teaching that was this extreme teaching that was truth. He's saying things that I feel like people, like you're saying, they're grabbing hold of the little tiny things that, oh, man. Maybe if there was a father in his life, the father would have said, hey, and there probably was, of course, but if there was someone that can tell him, hey, maybe...
You wanted to say this. Maybe you should have said it this way. And there was a growth opportunity that could have taken place. And instead, they attach themselves to those things and then distort the truth of...
whatever they're wanting to believe to fit a narrative that they're hoping to see, whatever. And then again, it's whatever the algorithm is feeding them. Like there's very two different perceptions of Charlie Kirk that has been created and it's based off of whatever the algorithm has given you.
so so there's a pastor that i i respect got a massive church and he just called me and he just said john unfortunately 500 you know well actually he said there's thousands of people in my church that have raised up a petition to have everybody leave in mass because i prayed for charlie's family at a sunday morning service i'm like oh boy and And so I'm thinking, oh, wow. And this goes both ways. It goes so many different ways. It goes gender. It goes race. It goes, you know, my group.
my denomination. And we're losing the sight. We're losing the sight of the truth. There's two races of people. There's two. Paul's like, there's only two. A believer and an unbeliever. Yeah. Okay? Yeah. And so – And I want to make sure people aren't hearing that when you say there's two races of people that we're not throwing out like the – the uniqueness of races, because I think that's the beauty that is in culture and the diversity of culture. So much so, so much so. Yes.
That before the throne of God in the book of Revelations, it mentions there were all different kinds of nations and tribes. So in other words... God rejoices in that. But what Paul's addressing is, don't let this be a separating factor. Don't say that there are Arabic Christians, and then there's Jewish Christians, and then there's Asian Christians.
There's barbarian Christians. He's saying, no, you're all one family. You're one body. So yes, God loves our variety and wants us to celebrate our variety. Can I tell you, I celebrate. All the different beauties because I've been to 61 nations. I celebrate. I go into a nation and they've got strengths. I go to the Russians and I'm like, I was just in a Russian church this weekend, right? And they're like beautifully strong. Yeah. And they're like. you know everything is intense yeah
I go to the Italians. They're like, you know, oh, we want to make clothes. Hospitality. We want to feed you. We want to do this. I go to the Asians, and they're so, so amazingly smart. And so honoring, yeah. I go. to Africa. I just went to Africa last month, and I was in four countries, and they're so beautifully passionate. They can dance so much better than me as a group of people.
And they can sing better than me. Better than most Caucasian people, they can dance, they can sing. Because why? God gifted each nationality because he loves that variety. But what the enemy does is he comes in and says, make it a separating factor. We're going to hate each other for it. In other words, we're going to have no love because of it. And so he who keeps on sinning doesn't know him. So in other words, if you keep breaking the commandment... and you don't have love for people.
¶ The Command to Forgive
you really don't understand who he is. This is what he says in verse six. Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this. When people do what is right, it shows they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, okay, breaking the commandment, the commandment to love. one another, it shows that they belong to the devil who has been sinning since the beginning. So if they keep on doing it, if they keep on doing it, this is why I was in
probably 18 months of my life because there was a person I couldn't love. He hurt me so bad. He was an authority over me. He was a father figure to me. He hurt me so bad and I was wounded and I was tormented. And Arden, I'm sad to say, in that time period, I saw everything wrong. I was in darkness. And when I got out of that, that's a couple years after getting out of that, God said, write this book.
And that's why so many people, I've had pastors look at me and say, I'm still in ministry today because I read that book. I wouldn't be in ministry today if I didn't read that book. Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning. Because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning because they are children of God. So now watch this. So we can tell, now this is verse 10 of 1 John 3. So we can now tell or identify.
Who are God's children and who are children of the devil? Anyone who does not live righteously, number one, and I'm reading right from the Bible, does not love agape. That's the love of God. Other believers does not belong to God. So John just said, here's how you can identify a true believer. If the true believer continues to walk in sin, disobedience,
to any of the commands were given in the New Testament. In other words, he keeps on sleeping with his girlfriend, keeps on sleeping with his girlfriend, keeps on sleeping with his girlfriend. Okay, but then he gets specific. He says to the big command. Does not. love other believers. That person doesn't belong to God. Why? If you've made Jesus Christ your Lord, you're going to obey the command to forgive.
even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven us. Now, I want to share some scriptures on forgiveness. Matthew 6, 12 is the Lord's prayer, right? When we pray, We actually pray this. Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Wait a minute. We're praying to God the Father, forgive me the way. I have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Would you want God to forgive you?
the way you've forgiven others? Now, let me make that even stronger. The way you forgive others is the way God is going to forgive you. How do I know that? I'm gonna read this, first of all, out of the Amplified. This is Matthew 6. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven, remitted, listen to this, Arden, remitted, let go of the debts. and have given up resentment against our debtors. So there's nothing in there about reparation. You gotta pay me back, okay? Matthew 6, 14 through 15.
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. So this is after the Lord's Prayer. We've just prayed, God, forgive me the way I've forgiven those who have sinned against us. So it can be me or my people.
If you forgive those, so Jesus amplifies this after the Lord's prayer. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you. Stop, is he talking to all people? No, he's talking to only Christians because God is not father to the sinner. He's only father.
to those who have received Jesus Christ. So this is only Christians. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. Now listen to this. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father... will not forgive your sins. Okay, that's at the beginning. That's Sermon on the Mount. Let's go to the end of the three and a half years of his ministry. Yeah. The week.
the week that he's crucified. Jesus says in Mark 11, and whenever you stand praying, Arden, do sinners pray? No. No. So he's talking again. to christians whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone forgive him that now listen that your father in heaven may forgive your trespasses now listen to this verse 26 but if you do not forgive Neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. Jesus says in Luke 6, forgive and you will be forgiven. Luke 17.
If your brother sins against you seven times and seven times in one day comes back and says, I repent, you shall forgive him. Ephesians. Can I just say this? I love it. They're trying to like see how they can get out of it almost. Like what's the extent though? Which I feel like that's what we do is like you don't know what that person did to me.
You don't know how many times they did it to me. But a person who says that doesn't realize what they've been forgiven of. I've said this for years. I'm going to say it again. I want you to listen to me. A person that cannot forgive is a person that has forgotten what they've been forgiven of. A person that cannot forgive is a Christian or a confessed Christian that doesn't realize what they've been forgiven of.
What we deserved for what we did to God, we deserve the lake of fire. But Jesus hung on that cross and said, Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. He was not just speaking to the soldiers. And the Sanhedrin, he was speaking to the next generation, the next generation, the next generation, right down to me, because my sins put him on that cross. My creator, my creator. Took all my punishment. Took all my debt. And accepted it in his own body. And he paid the price. And yet...
Listen to this. Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God through Christ has forgiven you. That's not a suggestion. We're to forgive just the same way we were forgiven. Colossians 3.13. If anyone has a complaint against another, oh, you're going to hear complaints all over social media. Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Why? Because if you do not forgive, your heavenly father won't forgive you.
And yet there are people walking around, attending churches. They're walking in darkness. They're deceived because they refuse to forgive. And I can't, I'm not pointing fingers. 35 years ago, this was me. 35 years ago, I was walking in darkness. And I was skewed in the way I saw things. I saw people that were for me were people that were...
offended just like me. I found it out after I got out of the offense. I really believed they were godly people until I got out of the offense and all of a sudden I saw clearly and I realized, oh my gosh, they're offended just like I am. I was. And I couldn't hang out with them anymore because they wanted to feed that. And I was already healed. And I thought, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not going to hang out with these people because they got hurt by the same person.
And they're feeding. I can't do it. And I realized that those that I thought were against me were actually people trying to get me free. And I'm going to tell you right now, you may be really upset with me. You may be really upset of some of the things I've said. I've tried to stay with the scripture as much as I can because I really wrestled with this.
I wrestled with this. I got up at 4.15 this morning. I prayed about this. I wrestled with this, and I said, God, this is going to make so many people mad. They're going to be so angry. And I realized they're not going to be angry at me. They're going to be angry at the truth. I'm just reading you what the Bible says. And if you can be really honest and tell me you can still be prejudiced, you can still be mad at your ex-husband, you can still be mad and call your former pastor an idiot.
and he's really not a pastor, when David actually honored Saul, the day Saul was judged by God and put to death, three days later, David said to the man who actually claimed to kill, Saul, were you not afraid to stretch forth your hands against the Lord's anointed? So we have people on podcasts doing church abuse, spiritual abuse. And what are they doing? They're feeding. And now all of a sudden people are liberated to say, oh, he's really not my pastor. He's not behaving like a pastor.
He may be God called as a pastor and he may not be behaving like a pastor, but that doesn't mean he's an idiot. That doesn't mean that you can just criticize him and talk about him. in a way that will cause other people to pick up the fence. So we got to be Christian people. We got to be people that learn how to handle unfair treatment correctly. And this is what we're going to talk about in the next podcast.
¶ Choose Freedom Through Forgiveness
How, when I am treated wrong, does God want me to handle that? How is when my family is treated wrong? How is when my race of people are treated wrong? How do we handle this? I'm going to show you scripture has a lot to say about it. But I just want to see people free. And I realized that this morning I said, I got to talk about this because I don't want to see people go into 2026. offended, hurt, wounded. I don't want to see him enter into that year. I want to see him enter into that year.
being a part of the move of God on this earth. I want to pray with you right now. If you say, John, I'm so hurt. I've been so hurt. I know. And God knows. And God has compassion for you. And I have compassion for you. But hanging on to the hurt is not what's going to liberate you. It's actually embracing the truth and choosing to forgive the way Jesus forgave you. That's what's going to liberate you.
And as one who experienced it personally, who was so tormented in my soul that all I could think about is how badly I was treated and how badly the others around me that I cared about were treated by the same man. Once I got out of it and I realized freedom, I said, Lord, I'm not walking back into that offense again. I will never. ever walk back into that offense by your help and grace. Listen, it starts by forgiving from your heart. Jesus said you forgive from your heart. And so...
You have the love of God shed abroad in your heart. And if you don't, you can pray right now that Jesus comes into your life. You can say, Jesus, I receive you as my Lord. I'm not going to walk my way anymore. I'm not going to live according to my own wisdom. I'm going to now believe the word of God, and I'm going to believe the word of God over what I feel, what I think, or what I think my wisdom is. That's called repentance.
I'm leaving my own opinions and I'm embracing what the scripture says. And I'm going to walk with Jesus Christ as my Lord. So would you just say that with me? Jesus, I give you the complete lordship of my life. I repent of being divisive. I repent of being gender bias. I repent of being racial bias. I repent of being divisive. And I give my life to your lordship, which means now, any person who has you as their lord and savior.
is my brother and sister in Christ. Jesus, you're my Lord, my King, my Master. Forgive me, wash me clean. And as the first act of my new life in Christ. I choose to forgive. I forgive the way you forgave me hanging on that cross before I ever said I was sorry. The way you released me from the unpayable debt. Now I release those who have hurt me.
I've hurt my family. I've hurt the people I love. I release them from that debt. In Jesus' name, amen. If you prayed that prayer, let me tell you something. I'm so excited for you because you're about to walk in liberty and freedom. I know there's so much more. I mean, there's 15 chapters in the book, and we basically have spent 50 minutes talking to you.
I would highly recommend getting the book. You can get it on Amazon. Let me just say this right now. I don't get the royalties for this book. It goes to Messenger International. It goes to the ministry. So I have no reason to try to push this book on you for a personal gain, all right? The royalties help us get discipleship resources into the hands of millions of people all over the world in every nation. Just please get a hold of this and start your year out right.
Amen. I love you. Arden, you got any final words before we close? No, I don't. I just can't emphasize how powerful of a message this is and how needed. And once when you walk in freedom, it's incredible. And you'll see how blind you were. So thank you, Dad, for living out this message and walking it through it and even teaching us this message from a young age.