'"A soft answer turns away wrath" (Prov. 15:1a). You don't have to pick a fight with everyone you disagree with. You have the choice to stop the gossip. You have the choice to comment or not. There have been times I have responded to issues and there have been times I have chosen to let it go. Be wise with your words. In all the drama we see these days, we must remember that God says, "'Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,' says the Lord" (Rom. 12:19b). It is not our job as believers to sit in our padded pews and point out all the faults of others. We need to honor men and women of God who are doing God's work. Let God deal with those people if they are off. If you haven't spent time praying about a situation, you shouldn't spend time posting about it. You need to run so fast towards what God has for you that it doesn't matter what others are doing around you. You don't have time to deeply question their motive.' - Anna Aquino
Wrong again Anna. It most certainly is our job to discern. It is our job to test everything and hold onto the good. Aquino gets another thing wrong that so many in her position of false teaching do. This is not personal to the false teacher. It is not picking a fight. It is not even meant to be corrective because the bible says their destruction is set already. It is for the benefit of the sheep following them and future victims they may encounter. It is meant as light to counter their darkness. The false narrative Aquino sets up here is not new. That everyone in church is doing God's work and I wish that were true. The bible says that either people are gathering others to Christ or scattering them away. Bill Johnson scatters people away from Christ. So does Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen and even Anna Aquino. This is not about motive - it is about doctrine. As my pastor says, you can be sincere and sincerely wrong. Mercifully, Aquino concludes:
"Most people criticize what they can't control or what, deep down, makes them jealous. Your goal needs to be to do what God has put you on this earth to do. Stop looking to your right or to your left to see what everyone else is doing. You run your race and keep your eyes on Him. We will all have to stand before God one day and give an account for how we lived our lives. So instead of nitpicking at others, and cannibalizing the ones in the pews and in the ministry next to you, we need to just keep running our own races. Let's start working as a team." - Anna Aquino
Here is the usual accusation of jealousy and it is just as bonkers as always. Why would I be jealous of someone who is standing diametrically opposed to God and will feel the full weight of His fury for what is done to His sheep? You are right Anna we will all stand before Him and give account. That thought should scare you but it won't. When you have convinced yourself that your darkness is light, how deep is that darkness? To be perfectly clear; you are not on my team. This is not nitpicking. This is about the eternal destination of the souls of men and your fifteen minutes are up. Beloved, mark Ms. Aquino, avoid, and proceed accordingly.
Reverend Anthony Wade - August 26, 2020
