When so much of our attention is directed at what this or that prophet is saying, with trying to make today's world-events match up with scripture pertaining to where we are in God's timetable and how Bible prophecy applies to the nations that exist today, it is all too easy to lose sight of the purpose of our calling. That we might KNOW GOD... That we might be conformed to HIS Image... that we might be partakers in the fellowship of His sufferings.' Knowing God in the depths that He is calling us to... is hardly spoken of in 'main-stream churches.' We have been willing to settle for "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" 2 Timothy 3:5.

Another way of saying this is... to hold the appearance, have a formula of piety or holiness, but actually refusing, rejecting and contradicting the miraculous, abundant, wonderful work itself. Paul goes on in the rest of this verse to tell Timothy, "from such turn away." We may be willing to 'settle-for-less'... but God is not. Proverbs 6:16-19:

"These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren."

Each and every one of the above actions - for that is what they are; they are all things that require an active participation on our part, be it mental or physical - are ALL THINGS THAT GOD HATES! That alone should be enough to sober us up and cause us to search our own hearts. There are no mistakes in the Scriptures; "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" 2 Timothy 3:16. The carnal mind will never be able to receive the things hidden in the Word of God. God purposely designed them that way. Only His Holy Spirit can open our understanding to receive the truths they contain, so all of the arguments people have formulated preferring one translation over another are nothing more than carnal bickering. God is not so weak and small, as to be threatened by any efforts of man on any scale to discredit His Word. All the men who would come against it have and will return to dust, but His Word will stand forever. So when He states these six things I HATE, yea, seven are an Abomination To ME, we would be wise to pay strict attention.

Now 'HATE' here means: [to hate (personally): - enemy, foe, (be) hate (-ful, -r), odious, X utterly]. So whenever we commit any of these acts, we make ourselves God's enemy, or foe. Think on that one for a while. Now, look again at verse 19:

A falseH8267 witnessH5707 that speakethH6315 lies,H3577 and he that sowethH7971 (to spread) discordH4090 amongH996 brethrenH251 (kindred). What is discord?

H4090- A form of H4066: - discord, strife;

H4066- From H1777; a contest or quarrel: - brawling, contention (-ous), discord, strife. Compare H4079, H4090.

H1777- A primitive root (compare H113); to rule; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law): - contend, execute (judgment), judge, minister judgment, plead (the cause), at strife, strive.

H113- From an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, that is, controller (human or divine): - lord, master, owner.

Basically, discord pretty much covers all forms of quarrels, arguments, divisions, that cause bitterness, dissension, conflict, trouble, rivalry, friction, struggle. God specifically hates it when this occurs among brethren. This is both serious, and sobering, and not something to lightly pass over. Rather than freely judging one another, we would find it far more profitable, to judge our own heart. What are our motivations? What are the results of our actions, of the words we are 'sowing' (spreading forth)?

When we are engaging in sowing discord, how can we believe that God will just somehow overlook it?

Is it possible to cause dissension without moving in pride, overestimating ourselves, lying, fabricating unjust opinions, rushing forward in our desire to discredit another without regard for the damage we are doing to the faith of others, testifying to untruths without a cause in order to bring injury to another? You see, all these things that GOD HATES are interlinked. It is not possible to sow discord with a pure heart, righteously before God.

All seven of these things that God hates, that are disgusting and abominable in His eyes, are things that every unregenerate person operates in ...it is our flesh. Paul summed it up very simply in Romans 8:8 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Our flesh is the barrier between us and God, which is why we must daily crucify it. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" John 3:6. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" John 4:24.

"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" 1 Corinthians 2:11.

We are constantly engaged in this battle between our flesh and the Spirit of God... only one can sit on the throne of our hearts. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" Hebrews 4:12-13. Our 'flesh' is very good at hearing and seeing only those things that it wants to, convincing itself that it is fooling God as well. Our hearts, our thoughts, our motivations are an open book to God's eyes. The only one we are succeeding in fooling is ourselves.

"The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the [wise] answer of the tongue. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart). Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. The Lord has made everything [to accommodate itself and contribute] to its own end and His own purpose--even the wicked [are fitted for their role] for the day of calamity and evil. Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured [I pledge it] they will not go unpunished" Proverbs 16:1-5.

Jesus said in Mark 10:44 "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all." Paul instructs us in his letter to Timothy... "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" 2 Timothy 2:24-26. Being ruled over by a human 'controller' is NOT part of God's plan for us. We should also include being controlled by our own understanding and our own reasoning mind in this category as well... "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" Romans 8:14. Being led by the Spirit is only possible when the flesh is crucified.

We cannot have it both ways. We are either operating from our flesh, [carnal thinking, emotions, intellect, desires, appetites, our own wisdom, etc.] or we are operating by the unction of the Spirit of God within us. We either are pleasing God, or we are pleasing ourselves. Man has devised countless religions, formulas and standards for achieving spirituality. We have to decide - whose standards are we going to follow - man's... or God's. If we are guilty of sowing discord, we need to repent and change our ways. If we are following others whose modus-operandi is that of sowing discord, we need to heed the advice Paul gave to Timothy, 'from such turn away'... quit following them. Jesus said in John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

"For in him we live, and move, and have our being;... but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness ..." Act 17:28-31.

They (all people) will know we are Christians by our love, not by our criticisms. Why? Because, "in him we live, and move, and have our being." We will find that if we keep our eye focused on Christ, and judge our own hearts, we won't have time to engage in 'sowing discord among the brethren.' The "appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness ..." is fast approaching. Let's examine our own hearts, since we know what Peter said in 1 Peter 4:17-19 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."