Tag Archives: preachers

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology

False Shepherds and True Sheep

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)

This command by Jesus to Peter is the command to all who sit in positions of ministers, pastors, and other clergy. Not that it made Peter the supreme Apostle of the head of the church, but gave to him his main duty. To teach the Gospel message to the Christian faithful. To essentially be the head drill instructor at the boot camp for Christians, the Church building.

All Christians are given the command to evangelize. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

This command to Peter was a command to train those that already followed Christ. The sheep are already followers, as told by Christ in John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Now, this is not to say that everyone sitting in a pew or taking the title of Christian is a sheep. One must remember  that a barn will hold sheep and goats.

But today, one sees fewer sheep. This can be attributed to a few things. Many are find the world, run by Satan and his minions, to be attractive. Some are leaving because God does not do things as they believe he should. And because the shepherd has been working within the confines of trying to get the world to accept Jesus, that they water down the Word of God or replace it with a love only doctrine. They have traded their righteous cloaks for wolf hair and fake wool.

Looking back to the history of Israel, we see that even the prophet Ezekiel called down the priests for subverting the words and will of God. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. (Ezekiel 34:1-10)

Jesus rebuked them for teaching false things. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.(Matthew 13:38)

Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep, tend his lambs, feed his sheep. This is the duty of every man that runs a ministry or stands in the pulpit. Preachers, like Kenneth Copeland and Todd White, have a tendency to get full of themselves. They have forgotten that they are God’s sheep. That they are to feed them (expound upon Holy Scripture), tend them (take them from the milk to the meat), and feed them (prepare them to go into Satan’s realm of the world).

Today many denominations, churches, universities, and clergy feed the sheep of God spoiled milk and rancid meat. In the terms Jesus used, it can be called the leaven of the Pharisees. False rules and false teaching. These charlatans prey upon the weakness of an unlearned body of believers who have come to follow the men and women in the pulpit and not the Christ they speak of. They have turned the mercy giving and righteous judging Christ into a hippie.

Jesus and the Apostles have spoken of these various times. Christ said that men would come pretending and would only be wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). These false teachers use perverted scripture to fleece the sheep. With only enough truth to make it sound good. Then there are the feel good preachers like Joel Olsteen and Steve Furtick. These are self help gurus that put on a mask of Jesus to spew their feel good message that is meant to elicit a reaction more than it is to teach and ready the Christian for battle.

These types, and the ones, who have allowed the sin of the world to permeate the church and fill the minds of their congregations with all sorts of blasphemies and unrighteousness. Pastors like Lutheran pastor Anna Helgen call upon a non-binary god (little g) with a ‘sparkle creed’ of faith. Pastor Reverend Megan Rohrer is a person that cannot understand what gender he/she was created as. These types of pastors, as well as seemingly normal pastors, have fulfilled the words of 2 Timothy. The goats in the church, as opposed to the sheep, don’t want to hear the true word of God. So they have pastors that tell them what they want to hear, not caring that it will lead them to a fiery, eternal end.For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Charles Spurgeon said it this way. “A time will come when, instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats”. And we have seen the fall of the church from doctrine of God to the dream world of Satan. There are still men of God that preach the inerrant truths of the One Holy God. But they get slammed. And Jesus said this would happen to anyone one that followed Him and did not stray from the truth. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. (John 15:18-21)

Jesus also did not say that the church or the true believer was to be treated nicely and loved, as many false preachers and ‘Christians’ proclaim (Matthew 10).  And Jesus gave the end result of such defiance. To the false preachers he says,Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. (Luke 17:1-2). And to those goats that believe they are sheep he makes it clear. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)

Paul gives a grave warning about false preachers and admonishes those that listen to them. I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from the One who called you by the grace of Messiah, to a different “good news”not that there is another, but only some who are confusing you and want to distort the Good News of Messiah.But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should announce any “good news” to you other than what we have proclaimed to you, let that person be cursed!As we have said before, so I now repeat: if anyone proclaims to you “good news” other than what you received, let that person be under a curse!Am I now trying to win people’s approval, or God’s? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Messiah. (Galatians 1:6-10)

For those preachers that change or subvert the Word of God, the warnings for you are clear. You will be held accountable. For those who want their ears tickled and make peace with the world, REPENT. For those that want to hear the true Word of God and not hear, I never knew you… Hear the words of the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 51 (run away from of Babylon) and the the words given to John while on Patmos. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.(Revelation 18:1-5)

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Human Right, politics, security, Theology

HEALING THE DIVISION BETWEEN CHRISTIANS

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:11-16)

I have been getting into my Irish heritage by learning the history. Especially as a Catholic, I have been learning more about the issues of Northern Ireland where my ancestors are from (County Antrim). While those my age outside of Ireland saw The Troubles on the nightly news in America, and yes, there are still issues, the clip of the Real Derry Girls brings hope. You may wonder why I bring this situation up in relation to the opening verses. Simple.

While the issues arise from the conquering of the northern part of Ireland and forced submission to the crown in England centuries ago, that political divide is seen in a Catholic versus Protestant lens. I won’t go into the normal views of these two groups of Christians on the other. For me, the whole ‘No salvation outside the church’ versus the whole ‘the Church is the seat of the antiChrist’ mentality forget the words of our Lord.

I have been both Protestant (I was a huge anti Catholic Church person back in the beginning of my walk with Christ) and am now a devout Catholic Christian. Being devout does not mean I don’t question a few of the magisterial teaching of the church. It means that that the main tenets of faith, as held in the Nicean-Constantinople Creed (and yes, that is the full name) are the core beliefs of my faith. I am fully in understanding that Christ is fully resent in the Eucharist. Because it was said by Christ himself on many occasions. (John 6:48-59, Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20). I bring this part of the faith up because it a big issue between Catholics and the majority of Protestants. Although, many modern Catholics question the Eucharist as well.

This is just of a few differences between the two groups. But from a basic look, the troubles in Northern Ireland are way beyond just differences in faith and politics. I won’t touch on either of those in this article. What I will talk about is the statement Christ made in the verses at the beginning of this article. ‘I have other sheep which are not of this fold’.

As I watched this, and other videos, of the conflict between the two sides, it was not only about the history of division and war. It was the stories of hope that got my attention. The Derry Girls video was the story of starting to build a bridge by bringing women from both sides together and hearing their stories. Hear how the Troubles personally effected them and how the peace walls in Derry may be a hindrance to reconciliation. Other videos also showed that, while yes there are still issues that need resolved, there is a hope of reconciliation and peace between the two.

I am not foolish enough to think that there are multiple facets to this issue. But I’m going to just center on all of those that proclaim Christ as their savior. Despite the differences in theological or doctrinal views, we are all family and heirs to the King Jesus Christ. Sons and daughters of the most high. And yes, like every family with multiple siblings, there will be issues between us. But at the end of the day, we are siblings and children of God through the blood of Christ at the Cross. It is not important about the sign out front of your building. Its not important that you seek intercession of Mother Mary or the Saints (its not command, only suggested).

There will be doctrinal and theological differences between Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. But to say one is better or that God will only accept one or the other defies the sovereignty of GOD. The real way to end this, or any other conflict, secular or religious (between Christians) is a change of heart and mind. That is only done through prayer, fasting, and a total reliance upon God alone. Not referendum on a ballot for unity of an island. Not on driving a government out so another can take control. And not a blind reverence of one denomination or church over another. 

We are told the commandments of loving God first and our brother second. ‘And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.  “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40) 

It seems that we have forgotten that his sheep are not of the same flock. Reread the opening verses of this article. Then as, why are we making enemies of other Christians? Why do we make them an enemy? And if one has the idea that if they don’t go to our church, they can’t be true Christians, and you see them as an enemy of the faith, remember the words of Christ. ‘You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’ (Matthew 5:43-48).

While this is an issue in Northern Ireland, it is also an issue anywhere the different Christian groups are together. While we are to speak of our faith in Christ as our only link to salvation, we are to remember we are still family in faith to the only true Father in Heaven. Understand that there are differences. Understand that there will always be disagreements, both doctrinal and theological. But the one thing we all have in common is found at the foot of the cross and an empty tomb. That is where the divisions of the faith will start to heal.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, politics, Theology

No Women in the Pulpit

Women in the Modern Church

In today’s churches and denominations, women hold a variety of roles. They teach, escort, serve. But they also hold positions that DO NOT belong to them. We know through the Tanach (Old Testament) that women were not priests nor worked within the temple. And churches today that uphold that position are called legalistic and sexist. However, that position is the position of the Apostles as well. It is mentioned in various epistles. So this article is to put in the forefront, a woman’s place within ministry and the areas they are not ordained to be in.

People like Paula White, Gloria Copeland, and others, while proclaiming they are called to preach, show they truly defy the teachings of the earliest Christian church led by the Apostles.

Scriptures on a Woman’s Role in the Church

In Acts 2:17, the writer speaks the same words as the Prophet Joel. “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy…” So prophets can be men or women. Prophets are those that speak the edicts of God, usually in a specific situation.

There are multiple scriptures that say they can teach, both men and women. Such as Colossians 3:16, Luke 24:44, Colossians 1:28, and Ephisians 5:18-20. So they do have various roles within the church and home (1 Timothy 5:10, Titus 2:3-5) But, as we will see, the pulpit is not one of them.

Scripture on Women in the Pulpit

These verses are set in Scripture and must be taken as the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), just as Christians are to accept everything from cover to cover.

Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians chapter 14 verses 33 through 35, “ for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34 Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.”

1st Timothy 2:11-15, “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

So, while this article is short, it is straight to the point within Scripture. Women are not to be behind the pulpit or at the head of a church/congregation. They do have duties within the church: prophecy, teaching, guidance, song leader, etc. But a women cannot be ordained by a denomination because she is not ordained by God for that position.

Scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. That being the case, the rules set in the Old Testament about women in leadership positions in the church (including the pastorate) don’t change. Hebrews goes on to say in 13:9 “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.”

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, politics, Theology

Repentance and Revival

The current social shift of western society has become to be known as being woke. But, we have to awaken, not be woke. Paul writing to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 5:14) wrote, ‘Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead. And Christ will shine on you.’ One could assume that Paul was speaking in the idea of the resurrection. But it can be seen he wasn’t. Arise from the dead is referring to earlier in the letter (Ephesians 2:1) where Paul states that members of the Ephesian church are dead in their sins. And the use of awake brings instantly to mind Jesus’ message to the Pharisees when He opened the eyes of the blind man in John 9. “And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” (John 9:39)

This article is to revisit true awakenings and revivals. What led to them, what they consisted of, and the outcomes. It will also show how some ‘revivals’ are not revivals, but only emotional gatherings.

The Great Awakening (US)

The Great Awakening went from the 1720s to the 1740’s (roughly). Many of our denominational founders came from this time period. We will look at two of the main participants of this Christian revival, although there were many.

The first is Jonathan Edwards. Born in the early 18th Century in Connecticut, he came from a Christian household. Like many Christians through history, he struggled with the bliss that comes with forgiveness, but also understood the struggle of conviction of the sin in his life.

Ordained in 1727, he became the pastor of a church in Northampton in 1729. He preached mainly on repentance, and started seeing things in his town change for the better. In 1741, Jonathan Edwards gave, what even today is considered the greatest sermon in this country, the sermon ‘Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God’ in Enfield, Connecticut. The sermon was based on the scripture of Deuteronomy 32:35 “Their foot shall slide in due time”.

In this sermon, he made two points that need shared for understanding the Great awakening and its results, as well as for society today.

  1. Speaking of those who have not repented to God and turned from their inherently depraved life, he stated “They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John iii. 18. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John viii. 23. “Ye are from beneath.” And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God’s word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.”
  2. At the end of the sermon, he called for repentance. “Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation: Let every one fly out of Sodom: “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.”

The second man we will look at is George Whitefield. Whitfield was the son of a tavern owner in England. At 17, he entered Oxford University. While at university, he for the ‘Holy Club’ with men who would become great preachers of the Great Awakening, John Wesley and Charles Wesley. At the age of 25, he returned to America after several visits and became known as the boy preacher. He became friends with Benjamin Franklin. At one service, Benjamin Franklin (by report) stated he could hear Whitefield preaching a half mile away. Another time Franklin stated in a journal entry “From being thoughtless and indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk through Philadelphia in the evening without hearing Psalms sung in different families of every street.” He also had estimated that Whitefield could be heard clearly by up to 30,000. (This without the modern aid of a sound system).

His message ‘Repentance and Conversion’ was based on Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”. The last few lines of this message speak clear and ring as true today as they did when he himself spoke them. “If it is asked why a person should repent and be converted, I answer, “Because without conversion, there is no way to be happy after you die.” You must be converted or be damned. That is plain English, but not plainer than my Master used. I did not speak the word as strongly as He did when He said, “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). That is the language of our Lord.

Some have said that hell is only a temporary punishment. Who told them so? God grant you may never know the meaning of Jesus’ words “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23) by awful experience! Conversion makes you happy in eternity, and without it, you are damned forever.

But you say, “All in good time. I do not choose to be converted yet.” Why? What age are you now? Suppose you are fourteen. Do you not think it time to be converted? There was a young man buried last night who was seventeen. Are you forty or fifty? Is that not the time? There was a poor woman who died suddenly two or three days ago. God grant that may not be the case with any of you. The only way to prevent that is to be enabled to think that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).

It is a mercy that each of us has not been in hell a thousand times by now. How many are in hell that used to say, “Lord, convert me–but not now”? The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Now can you blame me for calling after you? Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken! God help you! Save yourselves from a wicked generation!

If you are damned for lack of conversion, remember that you are not damned for lack of warning. Thousands have not had the gospel preached to them, but you have heard. If there is a deeper place in hell, God will order a gospel-despising church member to be put there. You will have dreadful torments. Of him to whom so much is given, much will be required. How dreadful to have minister after minister say, “Lord God, I preached, but they would not hear.” Think of this, professors, and God make you possessors!

You young people, I charge you to consider. God help you to repent and be converted. He woos and invites you. You middle-aged people, O that you would repent and be converted. You old, grey-headed people, the Lord make you repent and be converted. O I could preach until I preached myself dead. I would be glad to preach myself dead if God would convert you! May God bless His work on you that you may blossom and bring forth fruits unto God. Amen.

Second Great Awakening (US)

The second Great Awakening surged from the late 1700s-through the 1800s. A preacher proclaimed in this period ‘How many thousands . . . never saw, much less read, or ever heard a Chapter of the Bible! How many Ten thousands who never were baptized or heard a Sermon! And thrice Ten thousand, who never heard of the Name of Christ, save in Curses . . . ! Lamentable! Lamentable is the situation of these people.

This second US awakening was heralded in by statements like this, “Revivals, of a more or less general nature, have taken place in many parts, and multitudes have been added to the church. . . . From the west, the Assembly have received intelligence of the most interesting nature. On the borders of Kentucky and Tennessee, the influences of the Spirit of God seem to have been manifested in a very extraordinary manner.”

Camp meetings were started ( at least in name) during the early 1700’s. The first real place of revival (1800) was the Red River Meeting House in Kentucky. The preacher was James McGready. This was known as the the Great Revival, and the kickstarter of the Second Great Awakening.

Charles Finney became the face of this awakening. His message ‘True and False Repentance’ was based on 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. ‘For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.’ 

The first few lines of the sermon demonstrate what repentance is and how the unrepentant sinner sees repentance. ‘True repentance involves a change of opinion respecting the nature of sin followed by a corresponding change of feeling toward sin. Feeling is the result of thought. When this change of opinion produces a corresponding change of feeling, if the opinion is right and the feeling corresponds, this is true repentance. Godly sorrow, which God requires, must spring from His views of sin.

To one who truly repents, sin looks very different than it does to him who has not repented. Instead of looking desirable or fascinating, it looks odious and detestable. He is astonished that he ever could have desired such a thing. Impenitent sinners may look at sin and see that it will ruin them because God will punish them for it. But it still appears in itself desirable. They love it. If it could end in happiness, they would never think of abandoning their sin.

But one who truly repents looks at his own conduct as perfectly hateful. He looks back and exclaims, “How detestable and worthy of hell my sin was.”

Sinners don’t see why God threatens sin with such terrible punishment. They love it so much that they cannot see why God thinks it is worthy of everlasting judgment. When sinners are strongly convicted, they see sin in the same light as a Christian does. Then all they need is a corresponding change in feeling to be saved.

Many sinners reflect on their relationship to God and know that they deserve eternal death, but their heart doesn’t agree with God’s opinions. This is the case with the demons and wicked spirits in hell. A change of opinion is indispensable to true repentance and always precedes it. There may be a change of opinion without repentance, but no genuine repentance occurs without a change of opinion.’

The last four lines of this sermon remind us of what it takes to be truly repentant and saved. ‘If you are willing to give up sin, you are willing to promise to do it and willing to have it known that you have done it. But if you resist conviction and still love your sins, all your convictions will not help you. They will only sink you deeper in hell for resisting them. Let us pray that this is the evidence that our repentance is genuine’.

Closer to my home and our time was one of the 20th Century’s greatest revival preachers. Billy Sunday, from Iowa, was former baseball player with the Chicago Whitestockings (The Chicago Cubs). During an outing in 1886, Sunday stopped into the Pacific Garden Mission (Still in operation and producer of the still running radio program Unshackled). He converted and then attended Jefferson Park Presbyterian Church.

He started his evangelism career around 1896. Sometime around 1910, he bought a home in Winona Lake, IN.  Sunday’s homespun preaching had a wide appeal to his audiences, who were “entertained, reproached, exhorted, and astonished.” Sunday claimed to be “an old-fashioned preacher of the old-time religion” and his uncomplicated sermons spoke of a personal God, salvation through Jesus Christ, and following the moral lessons of the Bible. Sunday’s theology, although sometimes denigrated as simplistic, was situated within the mainstream Protestantism of his time. (wikipedia)

In a video capture at one of his revivals he stated’ “Civilization and society rests on morals. Morals rest on religion. Religion rests on the bible, faith in God, and Jesus Christ. America needs a tidal wave of the old time religion.”

Repentance in Scripture

The prophets of the Old Testament (including John the Baptist) spoke of the need of the children of Israel to repent. The Holy Spirit leads to a deep conviction of personal sin and then leads to a true conversion of the heart. This message from the Holy Spirit came through prophets.

Nathan and King David. “Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.“The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.“But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him.“Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’”Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”So Nathan went to his house.” (2 Samuel 12:1-15)

Jonah and the Ninevites. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. (Jonah 3:4-6)

Joel.“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness And relenting of evil. (Joel 2:12-13)

John the Baptist. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.(Matthew 3:2)

Jesus Christ. “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5)

Peter. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:37-38)

John, while on Patmos, wrote on repentance twelve times from the message of the Revelation of Christ.“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. (Revelation 2:1-5)

We see people wanting revival, but don’t understand revival comes through Repentance (even by the saved) and prayer. So that brings into question ‘revivals’ like Asbury in Kentucky earlier in the 2023 year. It started after students did not leave after a short chapel sermon. While those in attendance (for two weeks and many arriving during that time) stayed and showed some questionable actions, there is a question of a true revival or just emotionalism.

While emotion is usually part of conversion and restoration, it also requires a couple things. One are messages on the Gospel. The preachers of the old time revivals and awakenings didn’t just speak one message and that was it. The spoke multiple times during the events. They also called for true repentance and conversion. From video and some witnesses, none of those components were present. Conversion does not happen without repentance.

If revival is truly wanted, then we hit our knees in fervent prayer, look into ourselves and repent of any hidden or lingering sin, have a true conversion of the heart. And don’t put God in a time frame (most revivals have set days and hours).

And during the message preach repentance (Luke 13:5) and Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). Because no sermon is effective unless it leads back to the Cross of Christ and the cleansing blood shed for us.

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New Year, New Start, But  in Need of a New Life

Today starts a new year. And most people will name their resolutions for a new start. Things that are named are like: stop smoking, exercise more, eat healthier, be nicer, not take lip from others, and the list goes on. And while these things are good, most will admit (if they are honest) do not last in their daily walk through the year. But what is needed is a new life.

I don’t mean just walking away from job or family and start over. I mean real life. While Paul is writing to the Romans, he speaks of the new life we all need. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?   God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?    Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?   Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:1-4)

There are three things Jesus the Christ said in one statement that gives us a new start to an eternal new life. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). In this statement, Jesus speaks three things that we, as a depraved and corrupt humanity, need to hear.

He is the way. Luke restates this in his accounting of the Acts of the Apostles. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

He is the truth. “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalms 25:5). “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;   And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32).

He is life. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.   And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:4) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

Jesus told John in His revelation, that those without being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, the eternal penalty is death. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12-15)

Eternal condemnation and punishment or Eternal grace and mercy. No other choice is optional. So as you start the new year, kneel at the Cross of Christ and begin a new life that will be eternal in grace and mercy. Or continue making resolutions that only work on the outer person and not the soul, and receive eternal damnation at the end of your last earthly breath.

May God draw you, bless you, and lead you to the eternal kingdom of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.

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The Cessation of the Apostolic Signs and Wonders

Anyone who has been in a church under the umbrella of Charismatic Christianity (which includes Pentecostal, Assembly of God, etc) has seen the ‘signs and wonders’ which had been seen in the works of the Apostles in the first century of the church. I have already written on tongues, that can be view by going to the main list of articles. This article is going to be a general overview and why the ‘signs following’ as seen in Holy Scripture no longer occur in that manner.

First we must look at the position of Apostle. With the original apostles (the 11), and we will include Justus Matthias as he was chosen by lot to replace Judas. This will also include the Apostle Paul. These 12 men were the only Apostles of Christ. By definition, an Apostle has to have one very specific criteria. Interacted with and chosen by Jesus Christ himself. Matthias is included, because Judas needed to replaced after his apostasy and death. The number was 12 because there were to be 12 main disciples (later Apostles) to correspond with the 12 tribes of Israel. And while Paul started towards the Jews, he was sent to the Gentiles. While others also went out of Israel into the world, we know that Paul was the one for the Gentiles.

From the death of John on Patmos, no other disciple (slave of Christ) meets the requirements to be an Apostle. And I do understand that today we have many self described “apostles”, but they don’t meet the requirements of the first century Apostles. Today’s so called apostles, are so only because of a supposed personal revelation. Revelation tells us not to add or detract from scripture. A personal revelation adds to scripture and would make the Holy Scriptures a continually added to book, not the Inspired Word of God in its finality.

None of those deemed Apostolic Father (those who studied under the Apostles like Clement and Polycarp). The majority of denominations recognize these men because there is proof of their being with the original Apostles. But their writings are not considered Inspired of God and placed in Canon of Scripture. They are considered theologians, but humanly so, meaning their writings could contain errors. But if you read their writings (and I do suggest that you do for theological perspective due to their proximity to the Apostles), you will not see any ‘signs and wonders’ beyond the Apostles.

Nowhere between the death of John and the early 20th century are there any records of ‘signs following’ from any slave of Christ. None. For a great history on the modern Charismatic Umbrella ‘signs and wonders’ check the Strange Fire Conference and the Charismatic history presented by Justin Peters. Both can be found on YouTube. These programs have a very detailed history of the Charismatic Umbrella.

The gifts of the Spirit: tongues (which is a known language according to the Greek word helios), healing, etc were for the Apostles to show the magnificence of God’s glory when the church was first being formed. After that, what the Holy Spirit gives us is listed in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,   Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” It is these fruits that show a person has the Holy Spirit indwelling in them.

James tells us how healing comes. “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.   Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:   And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5:13-15).

We are told by Paul that even those who come from Satan will show signs. “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,   And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.   And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:   That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thess 9-12)

I must make this clear. YES, God still heals. Yes, God still can raise from the dead. Yes, God can do as He wishes. With something like healing, yes its real. Not because a person lays hands on someone, but because God chooses to. Paul himself asked for healing for an eye issue. God told him no. I have seen the power of healing. In my own family, as well as others. But in the Charismatic Umbrella, when someone is not healed, its because the person ‘lacks faith’. NO, its because there are times when God’s glory shines the brightest through the tribulations and trials we have to face.

So be careful and don’t fall into the erroneous assumption that signs and wonders are from God. 1900 years, or so, of history shows that the signs by the Apostles were for that time of the church. Now everything needed to know comes from scripture, not personal revelation. Healing is from God’s sovereignty alone. And as James tells us, comes through prayer. But we have to remember that sometimes, God says NO. Not because you lack faith or that God is mean. But because He will show His glory however he chooses to.

Read Holy Scripture, listen to theologically sound biblical doctrine, and pray. If you are a true believer in Christ and follow his commandments (yes, those two go together as stated in multiple verses), then you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The fruits are the proof, not Apostolic signs and wonders as promoted by the Charismatic umbrella of denominations.

May God keep you blessed.

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The Four Advents of Jesus

While we celebrate the Advent season in the watching for the coming of the baby Jesus (God incarnate), Let us look at all the advents of Jesus. The incarnate was the first. The second would be the advent of the coming of Jesus to the beginning of his ministry. The third would be the advent of the coming from the tomb in Resurrection. The last would be the advent of his final coming as our King.

Many speak of the first advent and the last advent. But I have yet to hear a message on the other two as advents. But they were if you look at the term in its definition. In the Oxford dictionary, advent has two definitions. 1) the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. 2)the coming or second coming of Christ. For this article, we will use both definitions. The Incarnation and the final return as King are defined with the second definition. The in-between two fall under the first definition.

Incarnation

The first advent of Jesus was the coming of God incarnate in man.

Matthew 1-2:1 (The lineage and birth of Jesus)

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.   Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;   And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;   And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;   And Salmon begat Boaz of Rachab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;   And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;   And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;   And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;   And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;   And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;   And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:   And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;   And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;   And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;   And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;   And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.   So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 
   Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.   Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.   But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.   And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.   Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,   Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.   Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:   And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem

Luke 1:26-35, 41-43; 2:1-14 (The message of Gabriel, Elizabeth, and the angels)

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,   To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.   And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.   And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.   And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.   And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.   He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:   And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.   Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?   And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. / And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:   And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.   And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? / And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.   (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)   And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.   And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)   To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.   And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.   And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.   And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.   And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.   And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.   For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.   And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.   And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

John 1:1-14 (God coming as man)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   The same was in the beginning with God.   All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.   In him was life; and the life was the light of men.   And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.   The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.   He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.   That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.   He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.   He came unto his own, and his own received him not.   But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:   Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.   And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Baptism

The second advent started with the baptism of Jesus to start his mission on earth.

Matthew 3:13-17

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.   But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?   And Jesus answering said unto him,  Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.  Then he suffered him.   And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:   And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mark 1:1-11

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;   As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.   The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.   John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.   And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.   And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;   And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.   I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.   And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.   And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:   And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Luke 3:21-23

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,   And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.   And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,

John 1:15-16, 29-36

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.   And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. / The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.   This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.   And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.   And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.   And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.   And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;   And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Resurrection

The third advent started at the death on the cross and ended three days later

Matthew 27:50-28:10

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.   And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;   And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,   And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.   Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.   And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:   Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.   When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:   He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.   And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,   And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.   And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,   Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.   Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.    Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.   So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.   And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.    His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:   And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.   And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.   He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.   And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.   And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.    And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.   Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Mark 15:37-16:9

And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.   And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.   There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;   (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.  And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,   Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.   And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.   And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.   And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.   And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.   And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.   And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?   And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.   And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.   And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.   But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.   And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Luke 23:46-24:35

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.   Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.   And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.   And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:   (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.   This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.   And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.   And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.   And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.   And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.   And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.   And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.   And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:   And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?   He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,   Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.   And they remembered his words,   And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.    It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.   And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.   Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.  And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.   And they talked together of all these things which had happened.   And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.   But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.   And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?   And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?   And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:   And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.   But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.   Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;   And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.   And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.   Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:   Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?   And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.   And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.   But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.   And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.   And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.   And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?   And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,   Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.   And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Mark 19:30-20:18

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.   The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.   Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.   But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:   But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.   And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.   For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.   And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.  And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.   And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.   Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.   Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.   There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.   Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.   Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.   So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.   And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.   Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,   And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.   Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.   For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.   Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.  But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,   And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.   And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.   And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.   Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.   Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.   Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.   Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

King’s Enterance

The fourth advent will be at the end of the age, when Christ returns to collect his own, give due justice to the unrighteous and the eternal home with Christ.

Matthew 24:31-34

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:   And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:   And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.   Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Mark 13:24-27

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,   And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.   And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.   And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Luke 17:20-24

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:   Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.   And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.   And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.   For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

John 14:1-3

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.   In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.   And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Revelation 19:11-22:21

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.    His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.   And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.   And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.   And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.   And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;   That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.   And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.   And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.​  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.   And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,   And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.   But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.   Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 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.   And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.   And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.   And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.   And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.   And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.   And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.   He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.   But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.   And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,   Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;   And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:   On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.   And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.   And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.   And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.   And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.   And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;   The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.   And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.   And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.   And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.   And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.   And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.   And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.   In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.   And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:   And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.   And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.   And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.   He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.   I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.   For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:   And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

I pray that his short study in the different advents will give you a desire to study deep into the Word of God through the Scriptures. To see each of these advents as ways to remember that we are watching in hope of our eternal home.

May this article bless you. Always study and pray. And as John ends the Revelation of Christ “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, politics, Theology

The Commandments: No Other Gods

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:3

This verse starts what are known as the 10 commandments of God. Given to Moses on Mt. Sinai after being brought out  of Egyptian captivity and going across the Red Sea. But what is the meaning of this verse? Many believe it says that only God Jehovah is the only god. But as you go down through history, there are three types of gods that can be seen in this quote.

The definition of a god is simply something a person worships. There are three classifications to this: spiritual gods, men who are seen as gods, and inanimate objects. All three will be discussed and to show why the GOD of the Abrahamic faiths is the one that is the one true God.

Spiritual Gods

Spiritual gods in this article are referring to the multitude of pantheon gods of bygone cultures and civilizations. I will not say that this entities had no abilities. The bible proves they did at some point. After all, the bible tells us in Exodus that the priests (magicians) of the the Pharaoh could perform certain things like Moses and Aaron. “And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.” (Exodus 7:8-13)

The actions of Aaron’s ‘serpent’ show that God Jehovah was superior. Later, when it was time for the Israelites to leave God used some of the Egyptian gods to plague the Egyptians and proved He alone was almighty. (http://www.stat.rice.edu/~dobelman/Dinotech/10_Eqyptian_gods_10_Plagues.pdf) Look through Exodus 7:1-12:36 and study the hyperlinked pdf.

Then we move to areas like Babylon. Where there gods were put to the test. “So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.”And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,”and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs[a] of seed.And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.” (1 Kings 18:20-40)

As we move through the points of history, the gods and goddesses of every pantheon have fallen. From Medo-Persian and Roman of the ancient world to Celtic, Viking/German, African, and Meso-American. In the end, all of these pantheons fell to the Judeo-Christian God. And were left buried in antiquity until modern times. Now these pantheons are making a comeback. But like then, they will again fall.

Here’s where these false gods came from. They created nothing. They can’t save the soul of their believer. And they must bow down and forfeit to the one true God because they came from him. They are nothing more than the fallen that sided with Lucifer against the Creator himself. Because of lust of self and power, Lucifer and one third of the angels were cast from heaven. Where did they go? Here. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15). “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:7-9). “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Men who place themselves as gods

Throughout man’s history, there are men who have placed themselves as god on earth. Pharaoh was believed to be the sun god Ra walking on earth. In more modern times, people like Jim Jones and David Koresh have led followers to their deaths with these claims. Most of these are demigods of man’s making. Take how people flocked and followed to Donald Trump over the last few years. They have been blinded by his words and emotional influence. Much like men throughout history: Julius Caesar, Adolph Hitler, and quite a few television evangelists/prosperity preachers (such as Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland). But one seems to be set above all others. The Pope of Roman Catholicism. Over his reign, the pope has commanded countries who bowed, armies who fought (inquisitions and crusades), and placed himself as god on earth.

The Catholic church believes they have the ability to forgive sin, According to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” confession involves either “venial” (minor sins) which are confessed to God and “mortal” (major sins) which must be confessed through a priest. This means the priest (or above) acts as mediator between man and God. But we are told in Scripture that not understanding that Jesus was God in flesh (John 1:1-14) they made the statement “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Luke 5:21). The Catholic also tends to forget that there is only one mediator between man and God, and the priest is not it. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

In Pope Leo XIII’s 1885 Encyclical ‘The Reunion of Christendom’ he states, “the pope holds upon this earth the place of Almighty God”. His title is, besides Pope and Bishop of Rome, is Vicarious Filii Dei ‘Vicar (replacement or agent) of God on Earth’. So, by the Church’s own admission, the seat of the papacy is the thrown of a man that is seen as a god. The power and influence of the papacy have grown majorly, especially since the Francis became Pope. We see the spiritual and political influence this man has throughout the world.

Inanimate objects

Everything else that can be worshiped falls within this category. Money, power, and position are the main points of this category. This are tangibles that man seeks for. Now, these things may be needed (try buying groceries without financial ability or having a business operate without a person in the lead). BUT when the desire for these become the main component of one’s life and ambition, that is when they become a god to that person. For these things when they reach that level of importance, mankind has killed, cheated, lied, warred, and stolen to get them. They have taken precedents over his soul and his compassion for his fellowman.

Conclusion

There is one reason that the first commandment is what it is. With all of these categories of false gods, we need reminded that there is only one God over all. He is the Creator of all things. He is the spoken word that became flesh in Jesus the Christ. HE IS GOD ALONE. Because we fell for the great satan, the liar and deceiver, the once great Lucifer, we need to be reminded who our Father really is.

Take a moment and ask the Father, the one true God to help you always remember who He is and to have the strength through him to turn away from these false gods. We all need that repentance and forgiveness. As an earthly parent may chastise his children, he will also have their back when they need him. How much greater will the Father that created all protect His children. As time draws near to the end of all things and the return of Christ the King, please remember who the true God is, and seek His protection and salvation.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, politics, Theology

The Commandments: No Other Gods

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:3

This verse starts what are known as the 10 commandments of God. Given to Moses on Mt. Sinai after being brought out  of Egyptian captivity and going across the Red Sea. But what is the meaning of this verse? Many believe it says that only God Jehovah is the only god. But as you go down through history, there are three types of gods that can be seen in this quote.

The definition of a god is simply something a person worships. There are three classifications to this: spiritual gods, men who are seen as gods, and inanimate objects. All three will be discussed and to show why the GOD of the Abrahamic faiths is the one that is the one true God.

Spiritual Gods

Spiritual gods in this article are referring to the multitude of pantheon gods of bygone cultures and civilizations. I will not say that this entities had no abilities. The bible proves they did at some point. After all, the bible tells us in Exodus that the priests (magicians) of the the Pharaoh could perform certain things like Moses and Aaron. “And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.” (Exodus 7:8-13)

The actions of Aaron’s ‘serpent’ show that God Jehovah was superior. Later, when it was time for the Israelites to leave God used some of the Egyptian gods to plague the Egyptians and proved He alone was almighty. (http://www.stat.rice.edu/~dobelman/Dinotech/10_Eqyptian_gods_10_Plagues.pdf) Look through Exodus 7:1-12:36 and study the hyperlinked pdf.

Then we move to areas like Babylon. Where there gods were put to the test. “So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.”And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,”and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs[a] of seed.And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.” (1 Kings 18:20-40)

As we move through the points of history, the gods and goddesses of every pantheon have fallen. From Medo-Persian and Roman of the ancient world to Celtic, Viking/German, African, and Meso-American. In the end, all of these pantheons fell to the Judeo-Christian God. And were left buried in antiquity until modern times. Now these pantheons are making a comeback. But like then, they will again fall.

Here’s where these false gods came from. They created nothing. They can’t save the soul of their believer. And they must bow down and forfeit to the one true God because they came from him. They are nothing more than the fallen that sided with Lucifer against the Creator himself. Because of lust of self and power, Lucifer and one third of the angels were cast from heaven. Where did they go? Here. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15). “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:7-9). “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Men who place themselves as gods

Throughout man’s history, there are men who have placed themselves as god on earth. Pharaoh was believed to be the sun god Ra walking on earth. In more modern times, people like Jim Jones and David Koresh have led followers to their deaths with these claims. Most of these are demigods of man’s making. Take how people flocked and followed to Donald Trump over the last few years. They have been blinded by his words and emotional influence. Much like men throughout history: Julius Caesar, Adolph Hitler, and quite a few television evangelists/prosperity preachers (such as Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland). But one seems to be set above all others. The Pope of Roman Catholicism. Over his reign, the pope has commanded countries who bowed, armies who fought (inquisitions and crusades), and placed himself as god on earth.

The Catholic church believes they have the ability to forgive sin, According to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” confession involves either “venial” (minor sins) which are confessed to God and “mortal” (major sins) which must be confessed through a priest. This means the priest (or above) acts as mediator between man and God. But we are told in Scripture that not understanding that Jesus was God in flesh (John 1:1-14) they made the statement “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Luke 5:21). The Catholic also tends to forget that there is only one mediator between man and God, and the priest is not it. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

In Pope Leo XIII’s 1885 Encyclical ‘The Reunion of Christendom’ he states, “the pope holds upon this earth the place of Almighty God”. His title is, besides Pope and Bishop of Rome, is Vicarious Filii Dei ‘Vicar (replacement or agent) of God on Earth’. So, by the Church’s own admission, the seat of the papacy is the thrown of a man that is seen as a god. The power and influence of the papacy have grown majorly, especially since the Francis became Pope. We see the spiritual and political influence this man has throughout the world.

Inanimate objects

Everything else that can be worshiped falls within this category. Money, power, and position are the main points of this category. This are tangibles that man seeks for. Now, these things may be needed (try buying groceries without financial ability or having a business operate without a person in the lead). BUT when the desire for these become the main component of one’s life and ambition, that is when they become a god to that person. For these things when they reach that level of importance, mankind has killed, cheated, lied, warred, and stolen to get them. They have taken precedents over his soul and his compassion for his fellowman.

Conclusion

There is one reason that the first commandment is what it is. With all of these categories of false gods, we need reminded that there is only one God over all. He is the Creator of all things. He is the spoken word that became flesh in Jesus the Christ. HE IS GOD ALONE. Because we fell for the great satan, the liar and deceiver, the once great Lucifer, we need to be reminded who our Father really is.

Take a moment and ask the Father, the one true God to help you always remember who He is and to have the strength through him to turn away from these false gods. We all need that repentance and forgiveness. As an earthly parent may chastise his children, he will also have their back when they need him. How much greater will the Father that created all protect His children. As time draws near to the end of all things and the return of Christ the King, please remember who the true God is, and seek His protection and salvation.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, politics, Theology

THE NATION THAT FORGETS GOD

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah  (Psalms 9:17-20) 

George Washington in his farewell address stated the morality and religious principle are required for a government to operate properly https://www.vindicatingthefounders.com/library/washington-farewell-address.html. Men like William Blackstone, Noah Webster, the authors of our pre-Revolution papers made it clear, the course of our nation’s laws and morality were to be based within the Holy Scriptures https://www1.cbn.com/biblestudy/judge-moore-the-founding-fathers-and-the-ten-commandments. Not the Koran, not philosophy, but the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus the Christ.

Over the past decades, this nation has forgotten who gives it strength. While the military is one of the best globally, our strength did not come from it. While our economy was once the lead of financial circles our the world, that was not what gave us our strength and position. While we were the beacon of hope for the oppressed, the lowly, those seeking a better life, it was not because of the above mentioned reasons. Yes, they played into the reason, but were not the underlying cause of our hope or theirs.

The main reason was because of our laws, compassion, and moral compass in the world. The Scopes Monkey Trial (as it was named) started the slide from grace for the nation. An Arkansas trial solidified the ability to teach beyond Creation, the alternate view of Evolution https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/monkey-trial-begins . Then came the removal of prayer and the Holy Scripture from schools https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/penny-starr/education-expert-removing-bible-prayer-public-schools-has-caused-decline.

In 1948, multitudes of nations stepped into the UN and signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eleanor Roosevelt signed for the US. The first Human Right is the Right to Life. God already knew this, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5A). “For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well.My frame was not hidden from youwhen I was made in the secret place,when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.Your eyes saw my unformed body;all the days ordained for me were written in your bookbefore one of them came to be” (Psalms 139:13-16). But in 1973, a landmark case (Roe vs Wade) disallowed that primary right for human life https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade.

While different aspects of the LGTBQ+ community has existed (illegally) in this nation since it’s founding, the 20th Century brought with it a change for this specific community. From the 1973 decision by the APA to remove homosexuality from its mental defect list to the 2015 case that stated homosexual marriages were protected https://www.lgbtqhistory.org/lgbt-rights-timeline-in-american-history/. These actions, as all of those in support of LGTBQ+, defy the will and laws of God. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet” (Romans 1:26-27).

Since the turning away from the Holy Scripture and faith in God, the divorce rate in rate in America (tied with Gibraltar) ranks as the world’s highest https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/divorce-rates-by-country and crime (while not at its 1990s peak) is increasing in many categories including homicide https://www.bbc.com/news/57581270. The elected of our nation fight over helping other (needy, disabled, homeless, imprisoned, immigrants) but have no qualms about allowing the greed of men run business, finance, industry.

With these, we wonder why out nation has been under attack, the economic failures, as well as the ultra progressive movements and the ultra right movements pulling the nation farther apart. A president and House Speaker who claim to be Catholic Christian but support the murder of innocents at will and national immorality. And worse is a church that has, in the majority of cases, used the preaching of God’s love for man in salvation through His Son, Jesus the Christ’s death and resurrection to welcome all so as not to seem combative or judgmental towards society.

Christians are by no means perfect, as we are sinful man saved through grace not being yet transformed to the full glory of God. But like the Church of Laodicea, the church of today has become lukewarm. 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” (Revelation 3:14-22).

I will be the first to admit I am imperfect and only a sinner saved by the grace of God by the shed blood of Jesus. But there comes a point when even the those like me, not close to perfect but trying, have the need to say to the people of the nation….

***REPENT***

“The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it”.

Jeremiah 18:7-8

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The Storms We Face

While watching a sermon out of Ireland on Jesus calming the storm on Galilee, it got me to thinking about the storms we deal with. So in this article, we will look at three types of storms we encounter as Christians. One point he made I’ll throw into a section later, it changed the way i looked at the storm on Galilee.

Natural Storms

The first is the easiest to talk about. These are the storms that occur naturally but bring fear with them. I was seven during the Blizzard of 1978. It shut down a lot of the country. I’ve also lived on the east cost (South Carolina) and my mother lived in Florida. So I feel for coastal areas when hurricanes go through. I’ve seen the devastation of floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires. These occur often.

Scripture tells us that as the end days approach, these natural occurrences will increase.“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:7-8)

Now, before someone starts yelling ‘climate change’ rhetoric, let me say this. These patterns of increased weather related issues have been going on for ages. The magnetic poles shift, the earth cleanses itself, and there are other myriads of reasons these things happen. Carbon and methane from cars and cattle are not a huge part of the issue. Now we scream about global warming. In the 1970s, they were sure a new ice age was coming.

I’ll take the word of scripture over the talking head rhetoric and just say that it was already predicted. Christ shows the increase of natural disasters. We have seen recently about the Euphrates drying up. That was foretold by John on Patmos. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof dried up, that the way of the kings of the east be prepared.” (Revelation 16:12)

God Given Storms

Another set of storms we deal with are those that God himself sends. These can be physical storms that seem like natural storms. The two best cases are seen in the stores of Noah and Jonah. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord...And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die...And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.” (Genesis 6:5-8,17; Genesis 7:10)

“But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. (Jonah 1:3-4)

Both of these were storms created for a reason. So was the storm of fiery hail in Egypt. These are physical storms God used for a purpose. With Egypt, it was to finally lead His people Israel out of Egyptian bondage. For Noah’s day, it was to rid the world of evil. And in Jonah’s case, it was to put Jonah where he needed to be.

We also know that God sends or allows things to strengthen us. The storms of life faced by Job were allowed storms to show Satan that not all would look to self interest and disavow God, no matter what occurred. We face these as well.

The Storms of Satan

As we have seen from the above mention of Job, Satan is allowed to send storms into our lives. However, I truly thinks he can manipulate the weather as well. I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the storm of Galilee. I stated that a pastor made a statement that made see this story in a different way. This story is in three books of the gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke).“And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (John 4:35-41)

Anyone who has been in Sunday School or been to a good Sermon has heard of this story. And has garnered from it that Christ calms the storms in our lives. However, this pastor from today made a point I didn’t see before or even consider. That is this. That Satan caused the storm. And before you scoff, let me explain why I have a tendency to agree with him.

The pastor, when talking on this story said to look at the next set of verses. So, let’s look. “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.” (Mark 5:1-13)

When you put the storm and the immediate placement of Jesus after it together, it makes a bigger picture. Was it just a storm on Galilee like any other? Or, was it Satan trying to stop Jesus and his disciples from accomplishing the banishment of demons?

Application of Scripture

So you can view the story of the storm in two ways. The traditional look at it. Christ calming the storms in our lives. Or you can view it for I what I now believe it to be. Satan brings storms in our lives to keep us from accomplishing what God has planned for us and our mission for Him.

We see the shirts, posters, and memes that have a knight with a sword in his hand and his head bowed. The wording is is two parts. The first part is of defeat. ‘The devil thought he had won when he saw me with my head bowed.’ The second part is the part of a warrior heading into battle.’Until I said AMEN.’

So when a storm comes, remember that it can be one of three reason. Natural, which you just prepare for and pray. God given, you pray and seek the answer to what God is trying to teach you. Or the third. Satan doesn’t want us to do the will o r fulfill the mission of God. And when these third one comes, are you the first part of the knight’s message or the second. Is your head bowed in defeat? Or is it the second, and you are preparing for battle against the enemy?

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Human Right, politics, Theology, Uncategorized

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached

This week, my article will be a bit different. I am posting a sermon by one of the fathers of the first Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards. He gave the sermon to the Congregational Church in Enfield, Connecticut on July 8, 1741. Many pastors and theologians agree, that this is the best sermon given in what is now the US.

Read it slowly and digest it. In this modern age of so-called Christianity, many may not like the message. It speaks of two great themes of the Christian faith, God’s Sovereignty and deserved judgment in HELL. And the sole fact that it is God alone that holds us from that judgment.

This is the type of message that the world, and many Christians, need to hear.

SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD

Their foot shall slide in due time (Deut. xxxii. 35).

In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works towards them, remained (as ver. 28.) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. The expression I have chosen for my text, Their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following doings, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed. 

That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm lxxiii. 18. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction.” 

2. It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm lxxiii. 18, 19. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!” 

3. Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.

4. That the reason why they are not fallen already, and do not fall now, is only that God’s appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost.

The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.” By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God’s mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment.

The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations.

There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men’s hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands.—He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God’s enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell.

What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down? They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God’s using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, “Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?” Luke xiii. 7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back.

3. They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John iii. 18. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John viii. 23. “Ye are from beneath.” And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God’s word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.

4. They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell. So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

5. The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke xi. 12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should perrnit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.

6. There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God’s restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isa. lvii. 20. For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;” but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God’s restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into a fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.

7. It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell,that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expence of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked nian, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God’s hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case.

8. Natural men’s prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men’s own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Eccles. ii. 16. “How dieth the wise man? even as the fool.”

9. All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell ever to be the subects of that misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction came upon me.

10. God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant.

So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men’s earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction. So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.

APPLICATION

The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ.—That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.

You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his band, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.

Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God’s enemies. God’s creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.

The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.

The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligatioti at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. And consider here more particularly

1. Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Prov. xx. 2. “The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul.” The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke xii. 4, 5. “And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”

2. It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isaiah lix. 18. “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries.” So Isaiah lxvi. 15. “For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and wifh his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.” And in many other places. So, Rev. xix. 15, we read of “the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, “the wrath of God,” the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is “the fierceness and wrath of God.” The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful must that be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!

Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezek. viii. 18. “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only “laugh and mock,” Prov. i. 25, 26, &c.

How awful are those words, Isa. lxiii. 3, which are the words of the great God. “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, vis. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you, in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. ix. 22. “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isa. xxxiii. 12-14. “And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites,” &c.

Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isa. lxvi. 23, 24. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”

4. It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?”

How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before to-morrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportuniry to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day’s opportunity such as you now enjoy!

And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield*, where they are flocking from day to day to Christ?

* a town in the area

Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God’s mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God.—And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings? And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now harken to the loud calls of God’s word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favours to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men’s hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles’ days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God’s Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.

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THE HATE WILL GET WORSE

But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.   And the gospel must first be published among all nations.   But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.   And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.(Mark 13:9-13)

How would any of us react to being physically assaulted for our faith? Over the past few decades, attacks on Christians has increased. I’m not talking about in the areas where Christians are being martyred, like Islamic held nations, Hindu held nations, or places like N. Korea and China. I’m talking about places like here in the US, or more recently, Australia.

A few days ago, an Assyrian Bishop in Sydney Australia (and 5 members of his congregation) were attacked by a deceived young man. By deceived, I mean influenced by a demonic darkness that has encompassed global society. ‘But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.’ (2Tim 3:13)

Two things stand out about this incident. The first is the Divine intervention. The youth’s blade did not activate from the switchblade, and all this young man could do was hit the Bishop with a blunt item. The second is the forgiveness of the Bishop. After the attack, before arrival of law enforcement, the Bishop prayed over his attacker. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68814813 

This reminiscent of Pope John Paul the Second with his attacker. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-05/gun-shots-fear-prayer-and-forgiveness.html

I’m not saying that armed or unarmed protection is not allowable. Many churches today have started incorporating a security detail ministry. Nor is it against biblical teaching to put security measures in place nor to provide for armed defense. David asked God to make him ready for battle. ‘Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:  My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.’ (Psalm 144:1-2)

The angels had swords and Christ told the disciples to purchase a sword if they did not have one.‘Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.’ (Luke 22:36)

Yes, we are to be prepared to die for our faith. We are also allowed the ability to defend ourselves and others. There is not an either/or mandate. Forgiveness is what we are to do. ‘Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.   And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.’ (Luke 17:3)

But this does not remove the ability for self defense or defense of others. ‘ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.’ (Luke 11:21)

Time is wrapping up for this sinful and perverted world. There is only one way to forgiveness, salvation, and heaven. That is to kneel at the Cross of Christ. Repent of your sin. Accept the offer of atonement given by God. There is no other way to have eternal life with God than through Christ. ‘Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)

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When Salt Has No Flavor

You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Matthew 5:13 

The church is called the salt of the earth. A Catholic professor does podcasts and videos quite often. He ends all of his broadcasts with ‘you are the salt of the earth and a light to the world. Go out and be salty’. He says the last line because salt does 2 things. It seasons the bland and heals. If you have every worked in meat processing, by most stations there is a box of cure salt. If you cut yourself, you put your hand in the salt. Yes it burns, but it also heals the wound. Our salt, the Testimony of Christ, burns old wounds and impurities. But it also leads one to healing through the redemptive power of Christ.

The reason that the world has embraced the church, is because it has lost its spice. It has forgotten that we Christians are not to be friends with the world. Our mission is to bring the lost to Christ. So many times I hear people say “I led someone to the Lord”. No you didn’t. You may have gave someone the road map but the Holy Spirit was who led that person to the foot of the cross. We, as Christians do nothing more than plant the seed. The Holy Spirit does the rest. But the church today can’t even show someone the road map to the Cross. We have lost our flavor.

You hear in this times, we have to except people as they are because God looks at the heart. Yes God does look at the heart. And unless that person has come to Christ, the heart has not been washed clean. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8).Being a good person doesn’t cut it. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).

We, the Church, are not to make people happen in their sins. The Bible (remember that book that was written through the Holy Spirit by men) tells us who will make it to Heaven and who won’t. Or do you not know that the unrighteous[a] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). And yet, the modern church can be seen supporting these things in their own congregations. They have become the world. The only difference in these congregations is that they preach only the love of Christ. They don’t tell the members of the world that they need to seek Christ and REPENT.  He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:46-48). I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus (Acts 20:21). 

Yes, the love of Christ must be taught. But the message wasn’t ‘God loves you so everything is ok’. The message is repent and be saved.Now, that doesn’t mean blood bought Christians won’t mess up. We aren’t perfect. Even Christians need to repent.Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place (Revelation 2:5). 

Christ told John at Patmos who would make it to heaven. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12). The faith of Jesus is repentance and the saving grace of Christ through the Cross. Without it, there is no hope of salvation.

The church today is being given the same warning as those of Israel in His time. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27).

Church, quit playing fast and loose with the edicts of God. Time is running out and those you say you love from the world will die in their sins because the church has lost its salty flavor. The warnings to the church are clear. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21). This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:1-7). 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 (Galatians 1:8-9).Members of the Bride of Christ, the Church, we more than the world need repentance. We have let false thinking invade our doctrines. We have become tasteless in our giving of the message of SIN, REPENTANCE, and HOPE IN CHRIST. The Church preaches a different Gospel and will be held accountable at judgment. Better to make members of the world hate us than to lose our place in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

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We All Fall From Time To Time

I don’t usually put personal testimony into my articles. But today is a bit different. It is in hope that those who read this article find one of two things in it that allows the Holy Spirit to work in them.

To the non-believer, I hope that you begin to understand that even Christians still fight the demonic issues that arise. We aren’t perfect and won’t be until Christ comes back. Yes, there are hypocrites who say one thing and live another. But many you seem to believe are as such, are just followers of Christ that still fail and fall. 

To the believer, it is my hope that you be not discouraged when you fall or fail. As stated above, we are still human and fight the flesh. Some through sexual issues, remaining ties to paganism, or in this case through a moment of anger. It doesn’t mean we are failures in faith. It means we haven’t made it to a perfect home yet.

I’m dealing with the issue of smoking and have set a date to be nicotine free (including withdraws) by the last day of the month. So I didn’t have cigarettes on me when I rolled into work. I work at a store that is being renovated due to a new owner. So we have contractors for various projects going on, and to say the least, the store is busy and issues arise.

I am the head receiver and rely on computer equipment for my job. I walked in today and found my entire system down. All other systems in the store were operational. To put it mildly, I went off. I went to ask the night contracting crew what happened so that I could relay that information to the IT department. Things didn’t go well. My anger flared and I said a few things that I should not have said. After that altercation, their direct supervisor decided to defend his workers. It got heated.

My anger has not flared that way in a few years, and I thought it was gone. I was wrong. After a few minutes of alone time afterward, I knew I had to repent, seek forgiveness from God, and apologize. After prayer, I was back to my normal calm self. I bring this issue up, because I know I cannot be the only person that follows Christ and still, once in a while, find that old me come back for a moment. Not that it happens often, but it does.

When I got home, I looked through some scripture cards and found one on anger. The first verse on the card is Proverbs 15:1 ‘A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.’ The reaction of the supervisor was due to my anger with his crew. Had I been calm in thought, it would not have escalated to that point.

Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us ‘Be angry and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.’ Granted, once the situation was done, I prayed and felt calm. But in that moment, Satan had his place in the situation. He knew my state of mind at that moment wasn’t going to as it should (as any addict can attest too) and just dangled the situation in front of me and I took the bait.  He has a tendency to do that to followers of Christ. He knows our weakness and our past life. He knows what will get to us given the right circumstances.

Paul tells us,‘Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take up the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for the saints. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Paul lets us know that the world and legions of Satan will nail us if we let it. And today I did. But in the passage, Paul also tells us to fight clothed in God’s armor and with God’s sword. I wear a necklace of a shield that I may always remember to suit up for the enemy’s attack. Today I forgot. And it allowed Satan to creep in and attack.

We need to understand that when Paul states in Romans 3:23 ‘All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’ he is talking to the saved. While many think this verse means to not be harsh with those who fall, and it does in one sense. It also is there to remind us that we are not yet perfect. That we will falter from time to time. But we also know, that Christ is our shelter and rock. That we may fall, but he is willing to reach out and pull us from the waves of sin when we repent and ask for his mercy and help. John reminds us, the followers of Christ as much as he does those who have not sought him, ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ (1John 1:9)

Never act, because you follow Christ, that you are so pious that you do not or can not sin. As long as we are in this fleshy form, and not in our heavenly home, THE DEVIL CAN STILL ATTACK YOU AND WILL. Otherwise we would not need to be reminded to put on the armor of God. My father used to say, after he got saved, ‘But for the grace of God, there go I”. It is an old saying but rings true. We are no better than the sinner in the world. We have just been given grace and mercy despite us not being worthy of it.

So, when we fall or fail in our walk with Christ, immediately repent, seek His forgiveness and mercy. Then don’t forget that we need his mercy. I truly believe, that sometimes the best testimony we can give to the unsaved world is the mercy we receive from God after we fall or fail. The need to see the fall to understand the mercy and mankind’s need for it.

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Tongues: Language or Not

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.   And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:1-11).

When we speak of tongues, many automatically think of the Charismatic movement. This term is an umbrella term used to define those that have the doctrines of signs following and Pentecost type of experience. So I want to delve into the concept of ‘speaking in tongues’ starting with an understanding of the Pentecostal message of the Apostles.

We first need to remember that Jews were living all over the known world at the time. Israel was the gateway to three continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa). So in all of that, there would have been dozens, if not a hundred different languages and dialects. This is seen in the understanding of the four languages of Israel at the time. We know Galileans spoke Aramaic. Hebrew was the language of the temple. Greek was the language of civil government and business. And the Romans would have spoken Latin amongst each other. The above passage identifies various areas of the Jewish diaspora.

Looking at the Greek of the New Testament writers, the word translated into the English as tongue is glossia. It simply means tongues of nations, or simply put as known languages of a geographical area. The main point is ‘known languages’. Even when expositing upon this set of verses, theologians and pastors agree that it was known languages spoken at the Pentecost message. So, we will look at the other New Testament uses of the word tongues and its Greek wording and meaning.

One of the most used scriptures for the concept of speaking in tongues is in1 Corinthians 14:2-5, ‘For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.   He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.’The Greek here is still the word glossia, ‘tongues of nations’. It is a known language, unknown by those listening in this case. A couple verses later, it is better to prophecy for the edification of the church.

On top of the misunderstanding of what tongues meant in the Greek writing of the New testament, there are actually a few rules. The first rule is to have an interpreter. Look above at the last verse of the passage.

This is also mentioned in chapter twelve of 1 Corinthians, that tongues is only one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and not mentioned as the defining gift of the Holy Spirit. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:   But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Cor 12:4-11). Here, diverse tongues simply means multiple languages.

Nowhere in scripture is the ability to speak a non-language tongue (which seems to be the only vocalization during the ‘speaking in tongues’) ever mentioned. I have been to many churches where this vocalization occurs. Never have I seen anyone interpret. Just people being in awe of the action itself. How does that edify the body of believer’s of Jesus Christ.

Sid Roth, a charismatic that has a show ‘Its Supernatural’ that airs on stations like TBN and Daystar. I will include a you tube link of Mr Roth teaching how to speak in tongues. Of course this cancels any validity of the action. https://yout.be/hJl7li1ajKs?si=ZhbuwpSvmKvuCvJk. Or just look up Sid Roth Teaching Tongues.

The history of speaking in tongues, as done within the umbrella of the charismatic movement starts in the 19th century. Two groups are noted to having the non-language tongues. One was the Catholic Apostolic Church and the other were the Mormons. As for the charismatic umbrella of denominations, their start came from two men, Charles Parham and William Seymour. Their view of ‘speaking in tongues’ was an addition to justification and sanctification (biblical truths). They assumed it to be a work of grace. They saw it as the single proof that one had the Holy Spirit. However, biblical teaching show that the Holy Spirit is working in every believer. That it is not a special dispensation.

I understand that this small article will cause discontent of those that adhere to an unbiblical principle. But it must be pointed out that scripture does not speak of this type of tongues, but of known languages whether or not the speaker knows said languages. And how a person lives in relation to God’s will is the determining factor of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there are the gifts. But tongues is a language that is known (even if not known by the speaker) and is the last listed. And has been relegated below the gift of prophecy.

It is dangerous and destructive to a believer if they are convinced that the Holy Spirit does not work in them strictly because they don’t have the gift of ‘speaking in tongues’. It will a least discourage them. At most, it will destroy their faith in God through Christ.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Human Right, politics, Theology, Uncategorized

We Don’t Need Revival, We Need Persecution

Good afternoon on this blessed day. I had the urge (or prodding) to go to a church that I was formerly a member of. I currently attend an Eastern Orthodox church as a Catechumen. But from time to time I do get that prodding to go back to the well, so to speak.

The messenger today wasn’t the normal pastor, but a young man that does give messages when he comes to the church. He is called to do missions around the globe and today was kind of a missions message and update. The message started with a video of the power of our Lord, Jesus Christ in areas other than here in the US.

As we look around in the west today, we can see that we once having a great faith as a people, we now see every evil of the scriptures on full display without regret or fear of the judgment of God. From extreme liberal murder of the unborn to the LGTBQ on full display of its debauchery. From the extreme right that allows no compassion for anything to presidential candidates on all sides except for the side of God.

The young messenger asked a question that made a powerful point. The question was this. What if God is allowing all of this evil to happen instead of revival that so many want? And then he went into his message of Jesus is the only power that will save any person or any nation. Definitely a message more so called ‘christians’ need to hear and think on.

The writer John stated things this way. “By this, everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another”. (John 13:35). But today, many ‘christians’ think that love means acceptance. It doesn’t mean that at all. Part of true love, is the truth. And sometimes, while the truth seems hateful, it is truly for the love that one feels for another in the saving of the soul.

Jesus never said I came accept everyone. He actually said the exact and polar opposite. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 13:34-39).

We wonder why there is no revival back to the ways of God that were in this country. We wonder where the men like Wesley, Sheen, Graham, etc are in today’s society. Simple, most pastors (including all those that have concerts not worship, ask for your money and buy jets, etc) have sold out. In some manner they have sold out to society so that they can be liked. But mostly, they have sold out to Satan himself. And the writer’s of scripture speak of this. As well as our Lord Jesus Christ does.

Matthew 7:15 states, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves”. Just because a man uses the name of Jesus, stands behind a pulpit, or speaks under a tent, it doesn’t mean he is a man of God. The reason that we seem to be under judgment and not having a revival of God’s power, is because to many that claim His name, deny His authority and divinity. Today, being ‘christian’ is a flex (to use a modern term). But to day to be Christian, is hateful to the world and the ‘christians/non-christians’ in it.

Look at areas like China, Indiana, multiple places in Africa, and the Middle East. Being a Christian will get you harassed, imprisoned, and martyred. To convert from Buddhism, Hindu, or Muslim will get you beaten and martyred. Here, we whimper if someone hurts our feelings, afraid of being jailed, or willingly close our doors if told to by the government.

YET, most churches will allow rampant sinful actions and lifestyles in the church. They speak of God’s love and forget His justice. They get so high handed, that those who truly seek God through Christ are turned away at the church door. They preach inclusiveness forgetting that the Kingdom of Heaven isn’t inclusive. It’s exclusive. Only one way in, Jesus Christ. Only by receiving His gift of the purifying blood from the cross and following His words. Most think faith is enough. Say a little prayer and its done. But that is in error. We must still do His work.

We must show love, but only in its divine truth. We must wait on the Lord. To many think that means sitting back and act like you’re at the bus depot. What it really means is act like a waiter in a restaurant. Always doing the task before us. Telling others about Christ and His loving and redemptive power. But also telling them of the fact that Christ never leaves you the same as you were when you first came to Him.

I no longer pray for revival. I no longer pray for our people to be safe. I pray for what we as western Christians and ‘christians’ need. To have our faith in Him built like those Christians in areas where they learn and grow in the trials of fire. Yes, I said it. We need PERSECUTION.

The disciples didn’t get it until Christ was Crucified and Risen. The Apostle’s didn’t get it fully until they were forced to go out into the world, out of Jerusalem. Our our faith truly fails unless tested. Until we are forced to, not give our testimony or says God love’s everyone, BUT to have the true threat of loss and death. Saying we are willing to die in a place where it is not the norm (like in Muslim controlled countries) is not faith.

In places like Africa, groups like Boko Haram, wipe out Christian villages and kidnap/kill those would proclaim their faith. In Pakistan, Christians face slave work and death for proclaiming their faith. Isis killed Egyptian Christians because they would not convert. And yet, here christians whine because someone said something nasty to them. They fear going to jail for their faith when it should be looked upon as a mission field. Christ and the New Testament writers said it was going to get worse. They said it would be family that turned against us and brought us to the authorities for punishment for defending our faith. We don’t need more Billy Grahams. We don’t need more Billy Sundays. We need more Timothies. We need more Pauls. We need more of the martyrs of the 1st and 2nd century church. We need more men like Ignatius of Antioch who was sent to the lions. Or those that were dipped in oil and used as torches for the emperor’s night games. Or those of the Middle East and Africa that face Islamic torture and death.

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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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Total Depravity

In today’s society, we have come to a point of replacing righteousness with people being good to their fellow man. Doing good works (ie giving to the poor, helping someone when they need it, being nice) is always a good thing. Even Joel Olsteen (a false doctrine teacher)and many other mainline modern churches (especially mega churches) say, at their heart people are good. That they are not bad, just make bad decisions.

But is that what scripture says? This article will use only scripture to to understand the human mind and the human heart. According to the Holy Scriptures, we are told the opposite. We will look at Old and New Testament scriptures that show the modern version of the human heart and mind are not what the writers of the Holy Scriptures (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) say.

Genesis 3:6-13 tells us of the willful choosing to not follow the one command in the Garden of Eden. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.   And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.   And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.   And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?   And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.   And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?   And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

As we move onto the flood, Genesis 6:1-8 tells us why God decided to kill all but 8 people. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,   That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.   And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.   There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 
   And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.   And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.   And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.   But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

As Noah and his family started the new life of earth after the flood, sin was still in the hearts of man. In Genesis 9:20-24 we are told about the first sin after the flood. “And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:   And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.   And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.   And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.   And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.” In this passage, we see one sin (drunkenness) led to the second sin (looking on his father’s nakedness). So even Noah, who was found righteous and was saved, still had sinful heart and mind.

Before the people were spread to all the earth, man held the same position of pride as did Lucifer before his fall from grace as Satan. “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.   And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.   And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.  And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:1-4)

Even Abram (Abraham), who is in the book of Hebrews hall of fame of Faith, sinned twice by lying (bearing false witness). “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.   And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:   Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.  Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee”. (Genesis 12:10-13). And “But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?  Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.   And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.   Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.   Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.   Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.   And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?   And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.   And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.   And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.” (Genesis 20:7-13)

He also committed adultery because he did not believe God in giving him a child and listened to Sarai (Sarah), his wife. “Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.   And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.   And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived:” (Genesis 16:1-4a)

During this time period, we see the evil of Sodom and Gommorah. “And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;   I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.” (Genesis 18:20-21) “But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:   And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” (Genesis 19:4-5) The knowing them means to have homosexual relations. Sodom is the root for our term of Sodomy (male homosexual relations).

And after Lot left with his wife and two daughters, we see the two daughters causing Lot to sin and then sinning by committing incest, which is two sins (seeing their fathers nakedness and having sexual relations with someone not their husband). “And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:   Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.  And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.   And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.  And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.   Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.” (Genesis 19:31-36).

In Exodus we see that sin was in the hearts and minds of those that were just removed from slavery. “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.   And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.   And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.   And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.   And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it;” (Exodus 32:1-5a)

We can go through each book of the Old Testament and the New Testament and find examples of the depravity of man’s heart and mind. King David, many of the kings from his lineage. Samson the Judge. The Pharisees. Judas Iscariot, Those who sough the deaths of the Christians.

Now let us view statements in both the Old and New Testaments about man’s hearts and minds.

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

The heart is deceitful above all things,and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;   Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:   Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.             (Ephesians 2:1-3)

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are a folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.               (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.           (Psalm 51:5)

For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.    (Psalm 58:3)

As it is written: “None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. (Romans 3:10-11)

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.   For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.   For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.   If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.   Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.   For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.   For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7:13-19)

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because All sinned. (Romans 5:12)

ALL have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. (Romans 3:12)

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.        (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

We are all born totally depraved because of the stain of original sin. Scripture tells us that no man seeks for God. This is become of the depravity of the heart and mind. So when looking at verses that tell us to seek God and seek and you shall find him. These verses have to be understood with the idea, that it has to be the Holy Spirit that draws us. We can’t do it on our own since anything Holy and of God is alien to the human mind an heart without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We are told, all throughout scripture, that we are the ones that are sought. That’s the meaning of the parable of the 99 v 1 sheep. We cannot come to God through Christ without being drawn first. If we hear an altar call and have the push to repent, that is the Holy Spirit, not us. We do not make that decision. The only decision we make is AFTER the conviction of the Holy Spirit. This leads to 2 things we then do. The first is to repent and the second is the public affirmation.

Can you deny that prompting?  Yes, It’s called grieving the Holy Spirit.

The a few things we need to remember are this: 1) before Christ is our Lord and King, our hearts and minds are totally depraved with the results of original sin. 2)  Only God, through the Holy Spirit can call us to Christ through repentance. 3) And we will still sin after being saved, because it is our human nature. 4) We need to repent as often as the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. May you hear the call of God, come to Christ, and repent.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, politics, 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, Human Right, immigration, politics, Theology, Uncategorized

Christians That Hate Those That Are Different

Since the vote took place in American politics back in November, and the changing of power in January, we have seen those that take the name of Christian forget how they are to act toward others. Christian Nationalism is not a Christian attitude. They tend to forget that the US is not our home, not our true nation. Heaven is.

In this article, I will hit only one topic, the current Ethnic Cleansing that has persisted since the colonies. It started with the Indigenous nations here at the time. Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing are accurate terminology since that point in time. First, one must understand what those terms mean. So they will be defined.

Genocide: According to the Genocide Convention (Dec 1948- Adoption, Jan 1951-Placed into effect), in Article II states: Genocide means any of the following acts are committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national/racial/religious group. As such:

a) Killing members of such groups;

b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part;

D) Imposing measures intended to prevent births in the group;

E) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

So look back at our history. Actions like: 1782-Gnadhutten Massacre, 1800s-Battle of Tippecanoe (being from the Indiana area, this one is is close to home), the Jackson removals, slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, the lynchings, the zoot suit riot, Japanese WW2 internment camps, etc.

Today, we see this continually taking place in the ending of legal visa status, mass deportations, attempt of Constitutionally protected birthright citizenship, actions to attempt to classify indigenous as non-citizens, etc.

And of course, when looked at, it shows two very dark things about white (European descendant) America. Those affected have melanin. You know, what whites try to get when they go tan.

According to the US codes of law, entry into the US without proper permission is only a misdemeanor, and generally viewed more as a civil infraction. US Code 1325. The penalty is a fine and/or 6 months confinement. The ‘violator’ can then be removed or given the ability to obtain the proper paperwork.

Also seen in the past couple weeks is the invalidation of specialty permits by the Trump administration. One of these is a protection visa (CBP-ONE) for those fleeing death and violence from a certain group of nations. These people were here legally until Trump removed those protections and visas by Executive Order. Here is an interesting point, it is the State Department (not the President) that determines validity of visas and programs.

The genocide and ethnic cleansing of non-European descendants in this nation (born or arrived, despite classification) is still genocide. It is set against people of darker skin tone, from specific areas, and violates international law of genocide as agreed upon in 1948 by the US government.

How ever one feels, Christ gave us directives on how to deal with people not from our home nation. It does not define whether or not they are legally within the borders.

The Final Judgment Matthew 25:31-46
  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
   “Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’  Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’  Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

God also told us how to act in this situation.

Exodus 22:21-24: You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.  You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.  If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,  and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

Deuteronomy 24:14: “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. If you will take the title Christian (Christ follower), then act like Him.

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

Ang mga Mangangaral ngayon ay Mga duwag

Sa piling ng Diyos at ni Cristo Jesus, na hahatulan ang mga buhay at patay, at dahil sa kanyang paglitaw at kanyang kaharian, binibigyan kita ng singil na ito: Mangaral ng salita; maging handa sa panahon at labas ng panahon; tama, sawayin at hikayatin ang — na may malaking pasensya at maingat na pagtuturo. Para sa oras na darating na ang mga tao ay hindi magtitiis ng mabuting doktrina. Sa halip, upang umangkop sa kanilang sariling mga hangarin, magtitipon sila sa paligid nila ng isang mahusay na bilang ng mga guro upang sabihin kung ano ang nais marinig ng kanilang mga nangangati na tainga. Ilalayo nila ang kanilang mga tainga sa katotohanan at tatalikod sa mga mito. Ngunit ikaw, panatilihin ang iyong ulo sa lahat ng mga sitwasyon, tiisin ang kahirapan, gawin ang gawain ng isang ebanghelista, ilabas ang lahat ng mga tungkulin ng iyong ministeryo. 2 Timoteo 4: 1-5

Ang Amerika ay umalis mula sa Great Awakening hanggang sa henerasyon ng Woke. At ang isang nilalang na, hanggang sa huling ilang dekada ay lumingon sa pagtalikod. Ang simbahan ay ang tagapag-alaga ng moralidad at budhi ng Amerika. Ang mga pews ng simbahan ay puno ng mga nagtatanong sa ‘ bakit walang muling pagbuhay ’ habang binabalewala, demonyo, at tinatanggihan ang mga utos ng ating Lumikha. Tulad ng dati kong sinabi ng lola ‘ hindi mo maaaring bantayan ang bahay ng hen sa pamamagitan ng pagpapaalam sa fox ’, na kung ano mismo ang nagawa ng mga kalalakihan sa likuran ng pulpito.

Ang unang Mahusay na Gumising sa panahon ng Kolonyal na Era ng ating bansa ay dinala sa isang masayang simbahan. Ang mga kalalakihan na tulad ni George Whitfield, na may tinig na sinabi ni Ben Franklin na maaari niyang marinig ang kalahating milya ang layo. At marahil ang pinakadakilang mangangaral ng panahong iyon ng pagbabagong-buhay, si Jonathan Edwards. Ipinangaral niya ang isang sermon na alam bilang pinakadakilang sermon na ibinigay. Ito ay tinawag na ‘ Mga makasalanan sa Kamay ng isang Galit na Diyos ’. Ito ay batay sa banal na kasulatan ng Deuteronomio 32:35 “ Ang kanilang paa ay dapat mag-slide sa takdang oras ”. ( https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html)

Ang unang Great Awakening ay mayroong 5 pangunahing punto ng talakayan:

Lahat ng tao ay ipinanganak na makasalanan

Ang kasalanan na walang kaligtasan ay magpapadala ng isang tao sa impiyerno

Ang lahat ng mga tao ay maliligtas kung aminin nila ang kanilang mga kasalanan sa Diyos, humingi ng kapatawaran at tanggapin ang biyaya ng Diyos

Ang lahat ng mga tao ay maaaring magkaroon ng isang direktang at emosyonal na koneksyon sa Diyos

Ang relihiyon ay hindi dapat pormal at itinatag, ngunit sa halip kaswal at personal

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

Ang pangalawang Great Awakening ay nag-post ng American Revolution at tumagal hanggang sa mga 1830. Dinala nito ang Camp Meeting. Noong 1802 Kentucky ang pulong ng kampo ay binibilang 20,000. ( https://www.ushistory.org/us/22c.asp) Ang pinakamahusay na kilalang konsepto na nagmula sa kilusang pagbabagong-buhay na ito ay ang konsepto na ang freewill ay nanaig. Ang ideya na mapipili ng isang tao na maligtas, at ang kaligtasan ay para sa lahat. Mayroon din itong mas malaking tungkulin para sa mga kababaihan at itim na komunidad.

Ito ay sa oras na ito, natagpuan ng mga kalalakihan na tulad ni Charles Finney ang kanyang kaligtasan. Noong 1821 sinabi niya na pupunta siya sa kakahuyan sa New York upang matukoy ang katotohanan ng kaligtasan ng kanyang kaluluwa. Sinipi niya ang sinasabi na “ Ibibigay ko ang aking puso sa Diyos o hindi ako bababa mula doon ”.  Noong 1824 siya ay naorden. Siya ay may natatanging paraan upang maabot ang mga nakarinig sa kanya at isang mensahe na hindi kilitiin ang mga tainga. Ang pagtatapos ng isa sa kanyang mga sermon ay sinabi niya sa mga tagapakinig, “ Ikaw na gumawa ng iyong isip upang maging mga Kristiyano, at bibigyan ang iyong pangako upang gawin ang iyong kapayapaan sa Diyos kaagad, dapat tumaas ”. Umupo pa rin ang kongregasyon. Ang kanyang tugon ay “ Tinanggihan mo si Kristo at ang kanyang ebanghelyo ”. Nagalit ito sa kongregasyon, at sa pamayanan. Sa punto ng galit, sa susunod na gabi ang isang ginoo ay naglalayong patayin siya.

Kinabukasan ay nangaral ulit siya. Sa oras na ito, ang mga naroroon sa pagtatapos ng mensahe ay tumayo upang bigyan ang kanilang pangako. Habang ang iba ay nahulog na umungol at nag-bell. Ang kalungkutan para sa kanilang mga kasalanan at ang nauunawaan na pangangailangan para sa pagsisisi ay pumalit sa kongregasyon. ( https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/evangelistsandapologists/charles-finney.html).

Ang iba pang mahusay na mga pagbabagong-buhay ay tumama sa ating bansa kung kinakailangan sa mga edad mula noon.

Ang Mahusay na Panalangin sa Panalangin ng Panalangin 1857 ( hindi bababa sa 1 milyon ang na-convert )

Civil War Revival ( isang tinatayang 300,000 na na-convert, parehong USA at CSA )

Ang Urban Revivals 1875-1885 ( Nakita ni DL Moody ang pagbabagong loob ng daan-daang libo )

Ang Welsh Revival ng 1904-1905 ay dumating sa Amerika ( Billy Linggo na ipinangaral sa pagbabalik ng hindi bababa sa isang milyong )

Nagsimula ang Azusa Street 1906 bilang isang serbisyo sa pagdarasal sa bahay ( na natikman sa loob ng 3 tuwid na taon, araw-araw sa buong araw at gabi )

Mula sa WW2 hanggang 90s, nakita ng Amerika ang mga magagaling na mangangaral tulad nina Henry Blackaby, William Branham, at Billy Graham.

Ang mga kalalakihan na ito ( at kababaihan ) ay nagtanim ng mga buto na nag-convert ng milyun-milyon sa US lamang. Ipinangaral nila ang pagkilala sa kasalanan at pangangailangan para sa kaligtasan sa pamamagitan ni Kristo. Ang bibliya ay ang kanilang ginamit na materyal lamang. Sinabi ito ng Diyos, isinulat ito ng manunulat, kaya ipinangaral ito ng mga mangangaral. Hindi sila nagbigay ng quarter at hindi nag-aalala sa kanilang sarili tungkol sa kung ano ang iniisip ng mga tao tungkol sa kanila o sa kanilang mensahe. Naunawaan nila na ang mensahe ng kasalanan at pagsisisi ng Diyos ay tulad ng isang tabak, hindi cotton candy.

Ngayon mayroon kaming mahina na mangangaral na naghahangad na punan ang mga pews at hindi masaktan. Nais nilang magustuhan hindi kinapopootan. Nais nilang makita bilang kaibigan sa masa hindi ang pagpapatuloy ng mga Apostol. Dahil sa pagkawala ng kapangyarihan sa mensahe ng pulpito at kompromiso ng Salita ng Diyos, ang mga Kristiyanong simbahan ay naging mga sosyal na club kung saan hindi tinalakay ang kasalanan at pagsisisi, at ang pag-ibig ng Diyos ay nangangailangan ng walang anuman kundi maging mabait. At binalaan kami ng mga ganitong uri ng mga mangangaral. ‘ Ang pagkakaroon ng isang anyo ng kabanalan, ngunit ang pagtanggi sa kapangyarihan nito: mula sa gayong pagliko ’. ( 2 Timoteo 3: 5 )

Pinuri ng mga kalalakihan ngayon at halos sumamba ay ang mga kalalakihan tulad nina Kenneth Copeland, Joel Olsteen, at Creflo Dollar. Ang mga uri na ito ay tinatawag na mga mangangaral ng kasaganaan. Ang kanilang mensahe ay simple. Kung hindi ka malusog at mayaman kulang ka sa pananampalataya. Kung kinamumuhian ka ng mga tao, mali ang iyong pangangaral. Ipadala sa amin ang iyong pera bilang isang binhi ( marami ang nawala sa lahat ng mayroon sila sa mga charlatans na ito ) at pagpapalain ka ng Diyos. Walang tawag sa pagsisisi, walang pagtawag sa kasalanan, at hindi na kailangang pumasok sa aparador ng panalangin.

Pinapayagan ng mga simbahan ngayon na umunlad ang homoseksuwalidad dahil hindi mahalaga ang mga patakaran ng moralidad ng Diyos, mahalin lamang ang bawat isa. Sige at gumawa ng pagpapalaglag dahil ang utos na hindi pumatay ng ( pagpatay ) ay hindi nalalapat, maging maganda lang. Ang paggamit ng mga talatang sinasabi na huwag hatulan at madulas sa mata upang bigyang-katwiran ang isang mahina na makamundong mensahe. Mas pinapahalagahan nila ang tungkol sa pag-kiliti sa tainga kaysa sa estado ng kaluluwa.

Siyempre ang mga Kristiyano ay hindi perpekto. Gayunpaman maraming nagsasabing ganoon o naibigay sa konsepto ay ang pag-ibig ang mahalaga. Ang isang tunay na Kristiyano ay maghanap sa kanyang puso, tingnan kung nasaan ang kasalanan, magsisi, humingi ng kapatawaran at biyaya mula sa Diyos. Ang isang tao na nagsasabing isang Kristiyano lamang ang nagsasabing hindi na kailangan dahil “ Mahal ako ng Diyos at sinabi ko sa isang oras na naniniwala ako kaya mabuti akong pumunta ”.

Sinagot ni Kristo at ng mga apostol ang tanong na ito. ‘ Kung mahal mo ako, susundin mo ang aking mga utos ’ ( Juan 14:15 ). ‘ Ang sinumang may Aking mga utos at pinapanatili ang mga ito ay ang nagmamahal sa Akin. Ang umiibig sa Akin ay mamahalin ng Aking Ama, at mamahalin ko siya at ihayag ang Aking Sarili sa kanya. ’ ( Juan 14:21 ). ‘ Namangha ako kung gaano kabilis mong iwanan ang Isa na tumawag sa iyo sa pamamagitan ng biyaya ni Cristo at bumaling sa ibang ebanghelyo – ‘ ( Gal 1: 6 ). ‘ Ngunit kung sanhi ka ng isa sa mga maliliit na taong nagtitiwala sa akin na mahulog sa kasalanan, mas mabuti para sa iyo na magkaroon ng isang malaking millstone na nakatali sa iyong leeg at malunod sa kailaliman ng dagat ’ ( Mateo 18: 6 ).

Ngayon nakikita natin ang Simbahan ng Laodicea. Sa anghel ng simbahan sa Laodicea isulat: Ito ang mga salita ng Amen, ang tapat at tunay na saksi, ang pinuno ng nilikha ng Diyos. Alam ko ang iyong mga gawa, na ikaw ay hindi malamig o mainit. Sana maging isa ka man o iba pa! Kaya, dahil ikaw ay maligamgam — hindi mainit o malamig — malapit na akong iwaksi sa aking bibig. Sabi mo, ‘ Mayaman ako; Nakakuha ako ng kayamanan at hindi kailangan ng isang bagay. ’ Ngunit hindi mo namamalayan na ikaw ay kahabag-habag, walang awa, mahirap, bulag at hubad. Pinapayuhan kita na bumili mula sa akin ng ginto na pino sa apoy, upang maaari kang maging mayaman; at puting damit na isusuot, upang maaari mong takpan ang iyong nakakahiyang kahubaran; at mag-salve upang ilagay sa iyong mga mata, upang makita mo. Ang mga mahal ko ay binabadlong ko at disiplinahin. Kaya’t maging masigasig at magsisi. Narito ako! Tumayo ako sa pintuan at kumatok. Kung may makakarinig sa aking tinig at magbubukas ng pintuan, papasok ako at kakain kasama ang taong iyon, at kasama nila ako. Sa isang matagumpay, bibigyan ko ng karapatang umupo sa akin sa aking trono, tulad ng ako ay nagtagumpay at umupo kasama ang aking Ama sa kanyang trono. Kung sino man ang may mga tainga, pakinggan nila ang sinasabi ng Espiritu sa mga simbahan. ” ( Rev. 3: 14-22 ).

Hindi epektibo ang simbahan dahil patay na ito. Patay ito sapagkat nakompromiso ang mga turo ng mga propeta, apostol, at si Jesucristo mismo. Ang kompromiso na ito ay nangyari dahil sa kahinaan ng mensahe mula sa pulpito. Mahina ang mensahe dahil napagpasyahan ng mga nangangaral na ang pagiging tanyag ay mas mahalaga kaysa sa mga kaluluwa ng mga tupa na inaakala nilang may posibilidad. Sa mga bansa ng Africa at Gitnang Silangan, ang mga Kristiyano ay namatay para sa kanilang walang tigil na pananampalataya sa mensahe ni Cristo. Ang mga apostol ay nabilanggo, binugbog, pinatay, at pinalayas dahil sa kanilang pananampalataya kay Cristo. Sa Amerika, ang mga mangangaral na ito ay natatakot sa panunuya at panlalait. Isipin kung ano ang mangyayari kapag ginawa ni Kristo ang kanyang maluwalhating pagbabalik at nakikita ang simbahan sa Amerika.

‘ Hindi lahat ng nagsasabi sa Akin, ‘ Panginoon, Panginoon, ’ ay papasok sa kaharian ng langit, ngunit siya lamang ang gumagawa ng kalooban ng Aking Ama sa langit. Marami ang sasabihin sa Akin sa araw na iyon, ‘ Panginoon, Panginoon, hindi ba kami nanghula sa Iyong pangalan, at sa Iyong pangalan ay pinalayas ang mga demonyo at gumawa ng maraming mga himala? ’ Pagkatapos ay sasabihin ko sa kanila nang malinaw, ‘ Hindi kita nakilala; umalis ka sa Akin, kayong mga manggagawa ng kawalan ng batas!…’ ( Mateo 7: 21-23 )

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