Tag Archives: fire

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

The Watcher on the Wall

Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.   He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.   But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. (Ezek 33:4-6)

Through the ages, armies have always kept a watch. From the watchtowers of old to walk watches today. Ask a historian about the watcher on the wall and you will be told that he had the most important job. It was the watchman’s duty look for any sign of the coming enemy. Once something was seen or heard, the watchman would sound the alarm for the rest of the troops. If he failed to do his duty, the fort fell and the men died.

As a watchman for Christ, it is duty to sound the alarm. In Israel, the shofar (ram’s horn) was the sound heard when the enemies of the Israelite nation approached. Today, we Christians (in the sense of bowing to Christ as King and Savior) are to blow the shofar. The enemy has not only approached, but has entered the gates of even the church.

Charles Spurgeon said that Satan is most effective in the pulpit. And when you look at mainline churches, of all denominations, this Satanic enemy is dressed as a pastor. And the pews are full of those that seek not Jesus as our Lord and God, but seek a false and weak Jesus that has nothing to do with the Jesus of Holy Scripture.

Churches have replaced doctrine with a watery feeling of acceptance. They have replaced hymns with songs that have no solid foundation in Christ. Hillsong has a worship song that sounds like a good song for the church. The tag line in it tells a different story. The tag is ‘ your fire fall down on us’. If you read scripture, fire falling from God is judgment.

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;   And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. (Genesis 19:24-25)

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.   Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.   And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.   Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. (2 Kings 1:10-14)

And when the Lord Jesus returns upon this earth, His judgment will come the same way as it came in the days of the patriarchs and prophets.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,   And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.   And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Rev 20:7-9)

However, don’t be fooled. Satan, through his earthly representative, will also look to perform this to deceive those who don’t have a solid faith in Christ.

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.   And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.   And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,   And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (Rev 13:11-14)

As one sees, they have replaced worship with worldly concerts. Churches look like party venues. And the worst, men calling themselves preachers, apostles, prophets, and women who think they have the ability to preach and produce prophecy, lead people to hell not heaven. They preach acceptance of sin in the name of love. We are to bring the sinner to hear the Word of God. When the Holy Spirit convicts them to a point that they have to to turn to Christ, that person is not left living in a sinful state.

We want revival like the days of Wesley and Edwards. But they allow sin, false teaching, false teachers, and worldly songs into the house that belongs to God alone. You can’t pray for revival and sing like the world. You can’t preach revival and accept what God calls sin. You can’t love the person and say living in sin is okay (pre-martial relations, lgtbq, the idea that all paths lead to heaven, that all faiths are acceptable, etc).

You can’t have revival while preaching that you have the power to speak things into being (only one is the creator of all things). You can’t have revival when you preach life will be all wine and roses (Christ and the Apostles tell us that tribulation, trial, and even death is coming for those who truly believe).

Where is true revival? Look at Africa, the Middle East, the Far East. These places see true revival. These places see true conversion. These places see true worship in Christ. What brought that kind of revival? Was it worldly music in the church? Was it acceptance and love of sin? Was it belief in the word of faith movement or life/health/wealth? No. It is tribulation. Its is hardship that is building the muscle of faith. And it is still having faith in Christ when they are called to be martyrs. It is sing praises and evangelizing to a captive audience when they are thrown into prisons.

All of this weak and powerless type of western church is condemned in scripture.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:   Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.   But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.   As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:6-9)

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.   Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23)

We are watchmen of the wall. It is our duty to sound the alarm. We do that knowing that we will not be liked. We do that knowing that we will be ‘canceled’. And eventually, we will do that as we face the ultimate testament of our faith. The ability to praise God alone while facing death.

One can hate or like me. I quit caring about those opinions. I would rather be judged by man than by God. Yes, I mess up and need to repent. Yes, I fail and need to seek God’s mercy and grace. You can call me a hypocrite. Join me, the church can use you too.

I am blowing the Shofar from the walls. The time of Christ’s coming is at hand. The day and time are not known by any but God alone. The signs of His approach are being seen.

Turn to Christ and from sin as if He is coming today. I’d rather you be upset with me all the way to Heaven (only through the blood of Jesus the Christ) than be happy with me as you enter the gates of hell.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

Defiance, Devotion, and Consequence

Mankind has two choices to make in this life. To follow God or to defy God (which is following Satan). Jesus the Son and God the Father have made it clear through out all of scripture, that there are only these two choices. One leads to eternal life with God, the other leads to eternal damnation.

Today we will look at one story in Daniel that illustrates these two choices. We know the story of King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon. We know how his dream of the multi-metal statute was interpreted by Daniel.

Daniel 2

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.   Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.   And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.   Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.   The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.   But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.   They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.   The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.   But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 
   The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.   And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.   For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.   And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 
   Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:   He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.   Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.   Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:   That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 
   Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.   Daniel answered and said,
 Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
 for wisdom and might are his:
   And he changeth the times and the seasons:
 he removeth kings, and setteth up kings:
 he giveth wisdom unto the wise,
 and knowledge to them that know understanding:
   He revealeth the deep and secret things:
 he knoweth what is in the darkness,
 and the light dwelleth with him.
   I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers,
 who hast given me wisdom and might,
 and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee:
 for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
     Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.   Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.   The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?   Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;   But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;   As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.   But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 
     Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.   This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,   His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.   Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.   Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 
   This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.   Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.   And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.   And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.   And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.   And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.   And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.   And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.   And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.   Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 
   Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.   The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.   Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.   Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

But as we will see in chapter 3, the king determined to thwart the vision and built a statue of solid gold and commanded worship to the image. This is a foreshadowing of Revelation 13:15 ‘And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.’

Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.   Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.   Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.   Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,   That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:   And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.   Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
   Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.   They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.   Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:   And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.   There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
     Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.   Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?   Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.   If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.   But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
   Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.   And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.   Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.   Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.   And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.   Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.   He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 
   Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.   And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.   Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.   Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.   Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

The two choices for all of mankind are present in this story. Both groups in this story show the three parts of choice for or against God. The defiance, the devotion, and the consequence.

Defiance

For God: The three men of Israel defied the order of the king, and refused to bow to the statue.

Against God: The king defied the command of God to have only Him as God.

Devotion

For God: The three of Israel said that, even if God would not save them from death, they would still worship HIM.

Against God: The soldiers of the king, even after the fire was hotter than it had ever been, were devoted to following orders to place the three of Israel in the fire.

Consequence

For God: Despite being thrown into the blazing inferno, the three were not harmed. Their binds came off, their clothing untouched. But most important, even the king saw their redemption. The Son of God before he became incarnate. “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:25).

Against God: The choice to follow the king’s orders, cost the soldiers their life. The flame that the king order to be made hotter, became the fire judgment of God to the soldiers. This a foreshadowing of the final fire that will fall on this earth. ‘and when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,   And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.   And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.’ (Revelation 20:7-9).

Seeing in this story of history, we see the consequences of whom we serve. There are only two choices: God or Satan. If you don’t choose to be saved by the blood of Christ and follow HIM, then you follow Satan. Even if you believe you follow only yourself, defiance of God is following His enemy, Satan.

The choices are: Eternity with God in Heaven or Eternal Damnation in Hell.

Joshua said it best. ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Joshua 24:15)

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Christianity, faith

Today’s Preacher are Cowards

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5

America has gone from the Great Awakening to Woke generation. And the one entity that, up until the last few decades has turned to apostasy. The church was the guardian of morality and the American conscience. The church pews are full of those that ask ‘why is there no revival’ while subverting, demonizing, and denying the edicts of our Creator. Like my grandmother used to say ‘you can’t guard the hen house by letting in the fox’, which is exactly what the men behind the pulpit has done.

The first Great Awakening during the Colonial Era of our nation was brought into a complacent church. Men like George Whitfield, who had a voice that Ben Franklin said he could hear a half mile away. And probably the greatest preacher of that revival time, Jonathan Edwards. He preached a sermon that came to be know as the greatest sermon ever given. It was called ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God’. It was based on the scripture of Deuteronomy 32:35 “Their foot shall slide in due time”. (https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html)

The first Great Awakening had 5 major points of discussion:

  • All people are born sinners
  • Sin without salvation will send a person to hell
  • All people can be saved if they confess their sins to God, seek forgiveness and accept God’s grace
  • All people can have a direct and emotional connection with God
  • Religion should not be formal and institutionalized, but rather casual and personal

(https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/great-awakening)

The second Great Awakening came post American Revolution and lasted until about 1830. It brought with it Camp Meeting. In 1802 Kentucky the camp meeting counted 20,000. (https://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp) The best known concept to come from this revival movement was the concept that freewill prevailed. The idea that one could choose to be saved, and salvation was for everyone. It also had greater roles for women and the black community.

It was at this time, men like Charles Finney found his salvation. In 1821 he said he was going to the woods in New York to determine the reality of his soul’s salvation. He is quoted as saying “I will give my heart to God or I never will come down from there”.  In 1824 he was ordained. He had a unique way of reaching those that heard him and a message that didn’t tickle the ears. Ending one of his sermons he told the listeners, “You who have made up your minds to become Christians, and will give your pledge to make your peace with God immediately, should rise up”. The congregation sat still. His reply was “You have rejected Christ and his gospel”. This made the congregation, and the community angry. To the point of anger, the next evening a gentleman was intent upon killing him.

The next evening he preached again. This time, those present at the end of the message stood up to give their pledge. While others fell down groaning and bellowing. Sorrow for their sins and the understood need for repentance took over the congregation. (https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/evangelistsandapologists/charles-finney.html).

Other great revivals have hit our nation when needed through the ages since then.

  • The Great Prayer Meeting Revival 1857 (at least 1 million were converted)
  • Civil War Revival (an estimated 300,000 converted, both USA and CSA)
  • The Urban Revivals  1875-1885 (DL Moody saw the conversion of hundreds of thousands)
  • The Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 came to America (Billy Sunday preached to the conversion of at least a million)
  • Azusa Street 1906 started as a home prayer service (lasted for 3 straight years, everyday all day and night)
  • From WW2 to the 90s , America saw great preachers like Henry Blackaby, William Branham, and Billy Graham.

These men (and women) planted the seeds that converted millions in the US alone. They preached the recognition of sin and need for salvation through Christ. The bible was their only used material. God said it, the writer’s wrote it, so these preachers preached it. They gave no quarter and did not worry themselves about what people thought  about them or their message. They understood that God’s message of sin and repentance was like a sword, not cotton candy.

Today we have weak preachers that seek to fill the pews and not offend. They want to be liked not hated. They want to be seen as friend to the masses not the continuance of the Apostles. Because of the loss of power in the pulpit message and compromise of the Word of God, Christian churches have become social clubs where sin and repentance is not discussed, and the love of God requires nothing but to be kind. And we are warned of these types of preachers. ‘Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away’. (2 Timothy 3:5)

The men praised today and almost worshiped are men like Kenneth Copeland, Joel Olsteen, and Creflo Dollar. These types are called prosperity preachers. Their message is simple. If you are not healthy and wealthy you lack faith. If people hate you, you are preaching wrong. Send us your money as a seed (many have lost all they have to these charlatans) and God will bless you. No call to repentance, no calling out of sin, and no need to go into the prayer closet.

Churches today allow homosexuality to flourish because the rules of God’s morality does not matter, just love each other. Go ahead and commit abortion because the command to not kill (murder) does not apply, just be nice. The use the verses that say do not judge and sliver in the eye to justify a weak worldly message. They care more about tickling the ear than the state of the soul.

Of course Christians are not perfect. However many claim to be so or have given in to the concept is love is all that matters. A true Christian will search his /her heart, see where the sin is, repent, ask for forgiveness and grace from God. A person who only claims to be a Christian says there is no need to because “God loves me and I said one time I believe so I’m good to go”.

Christ and the apostles answered this question. ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments’ (John 14:15). ‘Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.’ (John 14:21). ‘I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel–‘ (Gal 1:6). ‘But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea’ (Matthew 18:6).

Today we are seeing the Church of Laodicea. To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev. 3:14-22).

The church is ineffective because it is dead. It is dead because it has compromised the teachings of the prophets, the apostles, and Jesus the Christ himself. This compromise has happened because of the weakness of the message from the pulpit. The message is weak because those preaching have decided that being popular is more important than the souls of the sheep they are suppose to tend. In nations of Africa and the Middle East, Christians die for their unwavering faith in the the message of Christ. The apostles were jailed, beat, killed, and banished for their faith in Christ. In America, these preachers fear mocking and ridicule. Imagine what will happen when Christ makes his glorious return and sees the church in America.

‘Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!…’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

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