Dr. Lukes prescription

The day is Christmas and the best diagnosis of the true meaning was given by a doctor over 1900 years ago, it simply cannot be improved upon.

The doctor is Luke, and the diagnosis is found in the second chapter of his inspired “prescription”.

Which is known to us as the Gospel according to St. Luke.

In the 11th verse, we have the core of the message…..”For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Note how clear, how sharp is the doctors diagnosis!

“Unto you”……that is personal

“This day”…….that is present

“A Savior”…….that is precious

You know of course, that there is all the difference in the world between Christmas and Christ.

Millions make a holiday over the former and only a mockery over the latter.

Christ is cruelly crowded out of that special day which is meant to remember Him the most.

Holiness is hidden between the pile of holly.

The wreath is hung higher than the cross.

And worst of all, the Savior is asked to move aside and make room for Santa Claus.

And yet, without Christ there is really no Christmas.

Without Him there is nothing to sing about or to rejoice over.

Outward merriment all too quickly becomes inward mockery to a spiritually starved soul.

It is time to turn back to that perfect prescription of the old doctor.

Lets examine again his good words and their meanings.

“Unto you” This is a personal message and there can be no evasion or denial.
What have you done with the Lord Jesus Christ for this occasion?
You have remembered family, friends, and organizations with gifts.
What have you given Him?

“This day”…. Yes, this very moment!
Thoughts of Christmas fill the air and there is at least the passing acknowledgment of His Person.
But do you know that the thoughts of Christ concerning you are the precious “Calvary thoughts” of giving you the greatest of all gifts--the gift of grace which is eternal life; the gift of your souls salvation?
This day, yes this very moment should be the greatest moment of your life.

What will you do with Christ at this Christmas?

Or rather, what should you do with Him?

The only correct answer is for you to receive Him in your heart by faith.

“A Savior”…. Yes, that is the power of the prescription.

The road from Christmas to Calvary is really a short one, for this Babe of Bethlehem came for one reason only, to be the Sin-bearer upon Calvary’s cruel cross.

Not as “Santa” but as Savior; not “Claus” but Christ.

And it is only the man or woman, who has truly been to Calvary, whose sinful heart has been broken at the foot of the Cross, whose life has been cleansed and transformed, who can really and truly know the blessed joy of a “heavenly Christmas” within the heart.

“Unto you, this day, is born a Savior,”…how truly precious are those words when the heart is opened up to receive them.

The old doctor supplied the best diagnosis for a dirty soul, and in his prescription tells us of the cure for sin and sorrow.

How happy are those who have received the gift of heavenly healing and of the new birth (John 3), becoming a new creature in Christ ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).

How is it with you this Christmas season?

Have you received the gift that God sent by special delivery or are you still passing by searching for the gifts of the world and its obsessions?

We invite you to visit the manger for the first time or to revisit the One who came as a helpless babe and made a very short walk to a hill where the gift was presented in the form of our sin upon a tree.

Lots days were just as ours are

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT pt.2


Genesis 13:12-13 “Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.”


When last we saw Lot he had been completely taken over by the tolerance for sin that he had permitted in his life and in the life of his family.

He was now a member in good standing in the city of Sodom, as we can see by the fact that he is sitting in the gates of the city, watching and welcoming all who would enter in.

A type of greeting committee or welcome wagon for the City of Sodom Chamber of Commerce, directing new visitors to places of rest, pleasure, trade, safety, and with directions to all the places that Sodom was famous for.

All of us who name the name of God are to be watchmen upon a wall, warning and directing others that have entered in to a place of sin or who are entering in unaware.

In the name of acceptance and tolerance our friend Lot had taken a contrary position instead of warning against the sin of the city, he was now on the sin city welcome committee.

Lot had overlooked sin, in his family, in his business relationships and in his job and was now blinded to the remembrance of a time when his uncle Abraham would lead him in the rightful worship of the true and living God.

In Genesis ch 14 we see the depravity of sin and of the fate of two kings who attempted to escape the conquering forces of even greater darkness.

We all have known folks who for one reason or another just could not overcome their lifestyles. Regardless of the effort exerted they remained bogged down in the mire of the world.

Genesis 14: 10 “And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there;”

Lot and his family, defenseless against an onslaught of evil were carried away to another land.


We pray for family members for friends and acquaintances that the Spirit of God would work in them to open their eyes to sin, to bring them to their senses and to rescue them from devices of their own choosing.

We see in ch 14 vs. 14-16 where Abraham the uncle of Lot, received news of Lots captivity and took all available measures to rescue the captive and perishing.

How like our Savior in the fact that there is no distance that He will not travel to retrieve those that are His.

And how like the church was the man Abraham as he returned from freeing Lot and those of his family from captivity that he came by the place of peace and was met by the representative of God, one Melchizedek the king of Salem (the ancient word for Peace)

Along with Abraham on that day was not only Lot but other guests as well, for Abraham had invited the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah to travel the road with him for a while.

He had brought sinners to the place of testimony of the Lord.

The kings had experienced the presence of the representative of heaven and yet repented not as they attempted to cut a deal with Abraham that would have brought Abraham and all that he owned into the same bondage as nephew Lot.

Genesis 14: 21-23 “And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. (Can you see your enemy satan dealing in your life for peoples souls in exchange for a short lived pleasure or wealth of an ungodly manner?) And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.”

The wisdom of a Godly man, do not enter into a deal without Godly counsel, and give no place to the devil.

If you do he will surely be back to collect with interest compounded to the point that you cannot repay.

Our Lord knew this and he taught his disciples just that as he told them

John 14:30 ”Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and he has nothing in me.”

If you willingly allow sin to reign in your bodies, the one who originated sin will have claim to that seed and come reap the harvest at a time of his own choosing.

Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Lot found out the hard way, and so many of us only find out the hard way as we have very few people who will confront sin as it rules in their own lives and in the lives of those they know……..they silence the voice of the spirit as they cower in the act of tolerance and close their eyes to deviant behavior and lifestyles that are contrary to the teaching of the scriptures.

Even as our friend Lot continues to allow tolerance to blind him to the sin of his associations, he remained open to the things of God, ch 19 vs. 1 we see Lot sitting in the gate and recognizing two of the ambassadors of God in the form of angelic beings approaching.

Coming down from his seat, he fell on his face before them and worshipped.

Inviting them into his home for a meal and fellowship during the night stay.

So much like so many who live like a demon from hell all week long and then on that one day attend a worship service and without even a thought of repentance, will hold up dirty hearts and hands as an offering to a Holy God.

Graciously the angels accepted the invitation and experienced the depravity of the human heart first hand.

As the meal was preparing the men of Sodom came to the residence of Lot, demanding that the visitors be turned over to them for the very act of knowing them sexually.

How shameful it must have been for Lot as those he had befriended attempted to collect on some of that seed of tolerance that had taken root in Lots soul.

With no other recourse Lot offered his own unmarried daughters to the men of Sodom in exchange for the demand of the flesh of visitors.

A deal with the devil in full view of God.

The angels in great mercy took away the sight of the perverted visitors to Lots home, and yet with the fires of lust burning in them they continued to search for the entrance to Lots home. Blinded by sin they could not be moved by the warning working in their own bodies.

Lust burning in their bodies demanded a heavy price in the days of Lot and in the days of our lives.

Romans 1:27 “And likewise 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.”

Never be deceived by the homosexual agenda.

The Holy Spirit breathed word of God declares a recompense or payment for the sexually deviant.

The truth of the word of God never changes, but the heart of un-repentant man grows darker by the hour.

Romans 1:21 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

During the long night the ambassadors from above told Lot of their business, and revealed to Lot the intention of God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness.

Genesis 19:14 “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.”

Lots heart must have broken as he realized the reason for his own family doubting his declaration sent from God.

He surely was struck clearly in the face by the fact that his lifestyle of tolerance to sin had cost him his witness and his credibility to anyone who knew the truth about the man named Lot.

How many times have you Christian had the urging from the Holy Spirit to tell a family member or even a rank stranger of the salvation that is available freely to all through the Savior Jesus Christ.

How many times have you walked away in shame as you knew the truth that even though you claimed Jesus and knew him as Lord, that your credibility was broken in the eyes of those who truly know you and have been witness to your recent life?

How much are you willing to loose for a few moment pleasure?

How many family members or co-workers or acquaintances will be condemned to a sinners hell, because the only one that they may know to be a Christian has been disqualified in their eyes because of tolerance of and acceptance of sin, both in their lives and in the live of those whom they are in contact with.

Have you placed a muzzle on your spiritual credibility simply because you were never told what Paul told a group of Christians at a place called Corinth.

Your mother told you as a child that a person is known by the company that they willingly keep.
That a dog will run with the pack, that birds of a feather will flock together, you have heard them all and they all are true.

1 Corinthians 5:11 “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortion, with such a one not to eat.”

Many of you have been told by some that you trust that those who name the name of God must accept all peoples and all lifestyles, that we cannot judge sin in a man or woman, and that to do so is divisive among families, communities, and congregations.

The Holy Spirit that instructed Paul to write to the Corinthians did not think so.

What are you willing to lose in the name of tolerance?

Lot lost all. Lot lost all. Lot lost all.

Stand up Christian, tolerate sin no more.

A very wise man said “ True tolerance is not a lack of judgment, it is knowing what should be tolerated and refusing to tolerate that which should not be.”

Be not conformed to the world………..you just may loose it all.

THE SIGN OF JONAH

Luke 11 29-30
“And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign: and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.”

Whenever you hear about a character of scripture named Jonah, what do you think of?

Most will answer a man inside of a whale.
Many will scoff at the idea, but the bible says it to be so.

The whale was a vehicle by which God got the attention of a man who was sent on a mission and refused to go in the manner that he was instructed.

The vehicle allowed the man to see the error of his way and to repent from his rebellion and turn back to the task given to him by his God.

Lets examine the story of Jonah the prophet by comparing him to an entity that many claim to be part of.

Whenever we see the story of Jonah, we are looking at a story that is quite similar to the church today, by the way the name Jonah is the Hebrew word for “dove”.

Interesting isn’t it as we will see the prophet doing in his day what the church has been called to do in its day.

Jonah, one of Gods prophets, was given a message to take to a group of people in a far away place, the message of repentance.

Repent or else.

Repent or God will remove your peoples and your city from the face of the earth.

Jonah, hated the Ninevites, he hated them so much that he despised the fact that he had been chosen by God to deliver the message of repentance to them.

The Ninevites were very immoral as they practiced a type of idolatry and ritual human sacrifice.
Many in this nation say that they are religious and have formulated an idea of what God is to them, and yet they deny that God has stated that we will not make any graven image or bow down to such a thing.

Whenever we design a God in our hearts that is different from the God of the entire volume of scripture we have done just that , practiced idolatry.

The God of our vain imaginations doesn’t have to become a carved or graven image, it is vivid enough to create an image that we believe He is, and if that design doesn’t line up with all aspects of His word then we have created a false god.

The Ninevites also practiced a type of ritual human sacrifice.

Very detestable to anyone who believes in sanctity of life.

Whenever or wherever ritual human sacrifice is practiced, a certain type of human is sought out.
The youngest and purest of a population group.

There is no more innocent than the unborn, yes the unborn.

The killing of the unborn is ritual sacrifice, they are innocent victims of selfishness, victims of greed, and victims of a heart that thinks that God will see the murderer and accomplices as faultless.

Abortion is ritual human sacrifice.

The victims are both helpless and innocent.

They are offered to a god of someone’s vain and evil imagination.

A god that allows all.

Jonah was delivered by the whale a distance of three days journey, yet while he was still one days walk away, he began to preach the word that God had given him.
Repent or else in forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown.

Just that simple, Jonah delivered the message and God did the work of causing a heart of repentance to form in the leaders, and in the population.

Jonah had done his work yet he was still angry that God would spare such a group of sinners.
How much like the church was the prophet Jonah.

He was in good standing with a righteous God, yet there was no concern in his heart for the people that he had been sent to.

In Chapter 4 of the book of Jonah we see in verse 2 where Jonah is telling God how thankful he is that He is a God of kindness, merciful and willing to repent from the punishments that all mankind is due
.
That mercy and goodness was a great gift to Jonah, yet he cared not to share it with others.

A couch potato prophet, a picture of a church that is satisfied with all that it has been given, and unwilling to share it with others.
After all they are sinners and will just scoff at the message and I will be scorned and embarrassed.
I will just let them die without knowledge of a Saviour.

Later in the chapter we see where God had prepared a type of shade to protect Jonah from the heat, see the relation to scoffing and scorning that we fear.

All for Jonah, and he was glad.

Spoiled is a better word.

Give me my comforts and do not expect me to suffer for the faith.
A very good picture of the church.

Luke 11 29-30
“And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign: and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.”

Do you wish a quick judgment upon the un-righteous?

Do you despise those who do not live, think, act or worship as you do?

Do you consider that eternity in hell is just as long for them as it would have been for you if you had not repented from your iniquity and willingly received the sacrifice from sin, Christ Jesus.
Have you considered that someone told you about a Holy God, about sin, about judgment, and about the grace of God shown to us in His only Son?

God told Jonah and God has told the church, “And should I not spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand;” Jonah 4:11

The inhabitants of Nineveh had never been told the truth.

Has your family, your city, your nation been told the truth?

Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
Jonah, or Joe, or Bill, or Carol, or Nancy, go tell them that judgment is coming, for all of us.

pt 1 DAYS OF LOT

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT pt 1.

Genesis 13:12-13 “Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.”

Lot had been influenced by the righteous man Abraham.

Lot had been instructed in the ways of a Holy God, he had been encouraged to prosper in every way by his uncle Abraham.

Abraham had allowed Lot to grow great wealth and a community of family that was influenced by every accomplishment of Lot.

Yet something in Lot, was drawing him away from the very God that had increased him.

That something was evidenced in the choices that Lot made whenever his uncle Abraham had allowed him to begin to determine his own way into the future.

Lot could have chosen any path in life, he could have chosen to continue in the fellowship of his uncle, and the greater protection that family brings.

Lot could have separated himself from Abraham in a manner different from the choice made, yes the way may have been more difficult and the road less traveled, but Lot forgot something about God .

He will bless direction, or He will curse direction, and the decision that Lot made determined the outcome.

In our world today, the sexually immoral seemingly have become normal.

Those who hold to a moral viewpoint of what is good in Gods eyes are considered by most to be prudent at the very least and ignorantly judgmental by most in the world and by many in the Church.

Sexual sin is rampant and encouraged in every age group in society.

The entertainment industry has assured this platform.

Television, books, magazines, movies, radio, fashion, and conversation, all have a common denominator, and that is sexual perversion.

An honest man or woman will tell you that their imaginations are at times overwhelmed with the thoughts of sex of all types.

There is no walk of life that is exempt from this terrible disease.

Politicians, employers, your family, your neighbors, the homeless in the street, and even the ministers behind the pulpit of so many churches have accepted the culture and even embraced sexual immorality of all kinds.

Those in authority flaunt it publicly as their freedom of choice, those under authority think that no one knows their perversion and then become militant whenever their secrets are revealed, and homes and churches are destroyed when the leaders of each can not control their sexual appetites.

Lies are told, lives are wrecked, fortunes are lost , and souls are condemned to hell, all for a few moments pleasure.

In a Foxnews story of late , the deviancy that has been promoted by many is going unchallenged, even as it affects First Grade school children.

The story of a class field trip for six and seven year old to attend the homosexual marriage of their school teacher has been documented and commented on.

The saddest commentary is that very few people see this as what it truly is, one of the vilest forms of promotion of the homosexual agenda.

Sadly enough many people whom would name the name of Jesus Christ as Lord are involved in much the same manner as Lot was. The have “pitched their tents toward Sodom,” they have allowed a prurient interest to consume them, they want to hear about it , talk about it, laugh about it, and to know all of the participants in the situations that they are familiar with.

One of the lesser rules of sociology states that if you can observe a manner and not be offended then in effect you approve of the manner.

Another is that if you can laugh at a situation that you once thought un-laughable then you have accepted it to the point that it is now tolerable.

The same things happened to the families of Lot.

They watched and listened, they laughed, they drew their tents a little closer.

They developed friendships, thinking that what their new friends do in private, will have no consequence on them personally, that they can control the situation.

The tents moved a little closer, the community needed business partners, so they sought them out and invited them into the camp. Just for a little commerce. Nothing more.

The thought began to develop that these folks are just like us, therefore there must be something wrong with our thinking. And they began to rethink their position, on the matter.

The tents crept ever closer to Sodom.

Perhaps they are not the immoral deviants that our fathers saw them as, perhaps they are just as loving in a family situation as we are, and just perhaps as they claim, the same God that we serve made them that way…….after all they claim they had no choice in the matter.

And just perhaps our interpretation of the bible is incorrect and theirs is the right one.

When we read that God mandated marriage to be between one man and one woman, we have misinterpreted the passage.

When we read that God has stated that he hates the sexually immoral, that again, we have not read the verse in the proper light.

When we read that no effeminate man, and no abuser of themselves with mankind, will inherit the kingdom of heaven, then we better begin to dig the plank from our eye as we have been blinded by lies of prejudice.

Whenever we read in the book of Romans 1:22-32 and 2:1-2 “Professing themselves to be wise they became fools. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. 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. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents. Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in the that do them. (2) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.”

We have just read the truth………..it is not the words of the book that are incorrect, they are just as they are written.

It is the heart of man that is wrong………Sexual sin and sin of all kinds are detestable to a Holy God, there is no defense in regards to those who commit such acts, the Word has spoken and it will not be voided.

Those of Lots families were the same as we are today………they allowed tolerance for sin, and tolerance for those who admittedly commit such acts to be the cry of the camp……….

The next thing we see in the story of Lot is that he is now a member in good standing in the community of Sodom, as he is now sitting in the gate.

In part two of our commentary we will look at what happened to Lots family as the standard of holiness, blended with the standard of a depraved society.

 

In the meantime; if you have never accepted the fact that all men (including you and me) have sinned, and are willing to acknowledge that sin and accept Jesus Christ as your only hope for forgiveness, We would encourage you to wait no longer.

Cry out to Jesus to forgive you, to cleanse you with His blood and to indwell you with His Spirit, and to give you the strength to flee from the sin of the past.

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH

Luke 17:26-27

“ And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

If these were the words of mere man we might well disregard them, but since they are the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, they must and will be fulfilled perfectly.

Mark 13:31

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Let us carefully then, notice how it was in the days of Noah.

Genesis 6:5

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were continually evil.”

Yes God saw!

The word does not tell us what man thought, but what God saw.

And what was the wickedness of man then, compared to the wickedness of man today?

Has man not murdered the Son of God, and for almost 2000 years rejected Him?

Jesus foretold that the wickedness that demanded the crucifixion and rejection of the Son of God, would continue and expand right up until the very day that Christ returns to set up His earthly kingdom.

Men in Noah’s day probably thought they were living in the day of tremendous progress, but the “earth was corrupt.” Genesis 6:11

The journalists of this world have noted that they no sooner record one deed of destruction and violence and then are called upon to record another.

But what is it before God?

What will it be very shortly when the true Church of God will be taken up to Heaven, and Satan deceives the whole world?

Peace will be taken completely from the earth.

Revelation ch 6

Prior to the flood God revealed to Noah that He would destroy man from the face of the earth.

Hebrews 11:7

“By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Still the world went on with its building programs, its commerce, its pleasures and its sin--men would not believe God.

The ark grew larger every day, as a witness of the coming judgment, yet there certainly was no appearance of a coming flood.

Would God really destroy this world in its infancy?

Human reason said, “Oh no, Noah, you are quite mistaken, it is only your opinion! You had better give up on preaching such a peculiar and unpopular view! Come and enjoy yourself, don’t be such a narrow minded bigot! Can you not stop thinking that everyone is wrong but you?

But the flood came and destroyed all but the seven who “went in---as God shut the door” Genesis 7:13-16

Every soul that had not sought the protection of the ark was shut out.

It was too late!

Yes, and it will be so in the day when Jesus Christ returns to bring judgment upon those who deny Him.

We read in the parable of the ten virgins, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you , I know you not.” Matthew 25:10-12

But it was too late!

No more chances, the door was shut.!

Today, many still reject the word of God, with the same fatal result as in the days of Noah, but the warning to get into the ark has been given, and all should be encouraged to take heed and act, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 2-3

Are you ready to meet the coming Lord?

Do you like Noah, believe God, or with the world, are you rejecting Him and the message of His soon return?

God sees everyone of your thoughts.

Believe God now, repent of your sins, and accept Jesus Christ, as your Savior and Lord.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Luke 12:10 “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.”

 

If you need to accept Christ as Savior and yet don’t know how, or if you feel that you have accepted His sacrifice, and are unsure of your salvation, we urge you to contact us at d2lifeministries.

We have nothing to sell you, but it is our heart to freely give what we have been given.

The truth of the word of God.

FINANCIALCRISIS UPON US

Our freedom is the one thing that sets Americans apart from every other nation in the world.

But when it comes to finances, no one else is less free than the American citizen.

All of us desire to be financially free, but at what cost?

The financial crisis that has been revealed through the U.S. banking system and Wall Street financiers, will cost American taxpayers more that One Trillion Dollars, with many more Trillions of Dollars to be lost globally.

As families lose everything that they claim as theirs through foreclosures and bankruptcies, millions of children will be forced away from friends, schools, and needed services.

Many families will be left destroyed, and homeless.

The crisis in most part can be linked to moral failure

Mortgage lenders, who knew better, allowed greed to overrule sound judgment, and devoured the poor in the name of wildly soaring commissions, shutting out the knowledge that a bubble had formed and would rupture at the slightest touch.

Many want to blame the manipulators of the financial markets, or the corrupt political machine that answers to no man, that has ensconced itself in the marble buildings of Washington D. C.

The fact is that all of us are to blame for the global financial crisis that sets the stage for a One World Financial System.

We have allowed our elected officials to represent their own self interests, and the interest of organizations with bottomless pockets, while having no fear of the people who are paying them to do what is right for the greater majority.

They live and act like kings and potentates, while in the nations capitol, and then return to their constituents in small town America, declaring their innocence and asking for another chance to get it right the next time.

Our representatives are to blame. The American voter is to blame. Blindness and unconcern has overtaken both of them.

Here are a few facts.

If you made only $1500.00 in the last year, you have exceeded the total family income of more that 75% of the worlds population.

In the last year, the average American saved less that 2% of their income.

90% of the people in America buy items that they cannot afford and have no real use for.

97% of Americans age 65 and above have less that $600 available to them at any given time

The comedian Jackie Mason relates the story like this, “I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.”

For millions of Americans financial ruin will hit them like the perfect storm--consuming them with personal shame, serious health problems, and family destruction.

In our self reliant society, many of us don’t even consider turning to God until we are neck deep in the crisis and have no other direction to turn.

Severe circumstances show how fragile we really are and urge us to humbly turn to God.

That’s what the prophet Jonah did when he was gasping for his last breath, “ I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction. And He answered me. Out of the belly of Shoel I cried. And You heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:2)

Gods love for us is far greater than we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).

The Bible tells us that God desires to hear from us “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience Gods peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-8)

This in no means promises that God will remove financial challenges.

In all likelihood, the challenges were created whenever you made an agreement to fulfill an obligation to another person.

We all are responsible to complete our obligations, even the unwise ones.

He does however, promise us peace, no matter what the circumstance.

What then to do about the financial crisis:

Pray that God will allow you to have enough income to make adjustments in your budget so that the effects of crisis will be lessened.

Transfer all of your possessions to God (Psalm 8:6 and Deuteronomy 5:32-33)

Allow no more debt, including bank and personal loans, and cut up all credit cards that you cannot pay off at the end of the month (Proverbs 24:3)

Develop a realistic approach to a budget that will allow each of your creditors to receive as much as possible each month (Proverbs 16:9)

Begin to retire debt, starting with the smallest balance first. (Psalm 37:21 and Proverbs 3:27-28)

Once the smallest is paid off, then pay off the next amount using the combined payments and so on, until all obligations are gone.

The Bible promises Christians- those who know God personally- that God will listen to them at any time, in any circumstance, with any problem, no matter how large or small.

“casting all of your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

ARE YOU THERE?

AND THERE THEY PREACHED THE GOSPEL

Acts 14:1-7

And it came to pass in Iconium that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected, against their brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them. They were aware of it, and fled unto the Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth roundabout: And there they preached the gospel.

AND THERE THEY PREACHED THE GOSPEL

The message preached was look to the Lamb of God.

John Baptist preached the same message a few years before……..John 1:29 “Behold the Lamb of God”

The great revivalists of the 20th century preached the message “look at the Lamb of God.”

He is the one that saves

He is the one that heals

He is the one that baptizes in the Holy Spirit

He is the one that delivers us

He is the one that sets our feet on solid ground

There are many people setting in churches week after week who are in desperate need of salvation for the soul, and healing in the body, yet the ministers who should be telling them to “look to the Lamb” are too busy teaching another message.

A message that has no power, that offers no real hope, that only feeds you enough to bring you back again next time with a hopefully larger offering.

An offering that will allow them to live a lifestyle above the flock they tend, that buys jewelry, travel to seminars where they learn nothing of value, and monuments to themselves.

In Matthew ch 9 we read of Jesus dealing with a man who had been brought to Him by others. The result of the dealing was that Jesus told the man to arise and walk, that his sins had been forgiven him, and then the disputing that broke out among the religious people who thought it not proper to heal and forgive sins.

The good news is this……..that same Jesus still will save souls by forgiving sin and will heal the same retched soul, today.

Yes today!

The very same Jesus whose power was revealed 2000 yrs ago is still active and His power to save, heal and deliver, has not waned one bit.

It is just as easy for Him to say today “rise and walk your sins are forgiven” as it was then.

The church has forgotten this.

The problem in the church is that we are too busy reading the latest New York Times best seller and teaching the unholy, unrighteous words of man, and hiring comedians to stand in our pulpits making us laugh as our real needs are being covered up with another funny story.

The church has allowed too many effeminate preachers (men) and salesmen instead of preachers and motivators instead of preachers to have all available speaking time on Sundays and Wednesday nights.

The gospel is pushed aside for other things.

The church is in need of preachers who have truly been touched by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We need some Isaiah’s, Joshua’s, Jeremiahs, Daniels, and we need to see more Pauls who have the courage to stand up and say that the “just shall live by faith.”

The church should be very angry today, the church should be militant today, the church should be realizing that all across America and the world, that desperately sick souls are dying and busting hell wide open.

The sick are remaining sick and those bound by sin have not been diagnosed and given the name of the cure, the name of Jesus.

Churches of every denomination and name are full of the lie that this program or that step program or that person or that person can lead them out of their sin, a little at a time and then all will be better.

It is an affront to the work of the cross to tell a person that all of their needs have not been met by Christ and Christ alone.

That there is more to be done by man…..

The message that all of us were born into sin, and have been sinning ever since, and had one urgent desperate need, that of being released from pit and the stranglehold of the grip of satan on us, and our families, is over looked in the fear that the truth may offend someone.

The cross of Christ was designed to be an offense.

The answer that all of us need is not someone encouraging us in our sin and patting us on the back telling us that us that we will work through it together, all the while withholding the medicine that will save and heal, the Blood of Christ spilled out upon a cruel cross.

The Cross!

The Cross!

Most of 21st century Christianity have no idea what actually occurred there.

The Cross!

There is no money to be made there unless of course you have some cheap ones to sell.

Ask yourself three questions.

How many times have you been to the church that you attend and actually heard the gospel preached?

How long has it been since you have seen someone walk the isle and make it past humanity placed in their way and actually find the alter and the presence of the Holy Spirit who leads them to salvation?

How long has it been since you have seen anyone verifiably healed, someone delivered from a lifestyle of iniquity, or anyone baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues?

The answer that most of you will give is “I don’t ever remember any of those things.”

The church should be embarrassed.

Whenever Jesus Christ and His finished work upon the cross is preached , those things are to be expected and become a common event.

I have a suggestion for you today if you haven’t seen any of those things where you are.

Get up and go “there”

Where is “there”

It is any where that Jesus is preached, without apology, and without another agenda.

Acts 14:7 “And there they preached the gospel.”

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Whenever you enter into worship, do you consider its purity and lack of motive.

Or do you come into worship with a shopping list of desires that just might be met if you can grab His attention for just a moment?

Matthew 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.”

“a certain thing of him.”

The question then becomes, not are we worshipping Jesus, but why are we doing so?

James, John and their mother came “worshiping” Jesus, “and desiring a certain thing of him.”

Certain meaning ,a specific thing.

Their worship was sincere but impure because it was laced with the corruption of selfishness.

They wanted the top positions in Jesus kingdom-and the honor, authority and wealth that it would bring.

One thing can be said about them in the fact that they were open in their desire to be exalted.

Others were not quite as honest.

Then as today, many worshiped him with hidden agendas.

The zealots worshiped Him hoping that He would become king and free Israel from the rule of the Roman Empire.

The base, carnal crowds, worshiped Him hoping His bread making miracles would continue and free them from the burden of working for their needs.

The rich young ruler, worshiped Him, yet he continued to cling to the dearest part of his heart, wealth and luxury.

Many Jewish leaders worshiped Him yet desired the praise of the Pharisees more than His.

They worshiped Jesus, yet their worship was imperfect because their motives were mixed.

They loved Him, yet they loved others and the things of this earth more.

To them the worship of Jesus was a necessary means to a more needed end.

The majority come worshiping Jesus with pressing personal needs, they or their loved ones need release from chronic disease, demonic possession, or imminent death.

Their worship was pure but not without imperfect motives.

The purest form of worship is that off offered to God without any thought of getting “certain’ things from Him.

We just express our full adoration for Him---His faithfulness, love, and power. Nothing more.

No visible ends sought. No hidden agendas revealed. No personal needs to satisfy.

Just a drawing near in love and devotion.

Most of us are not at that stage yet. We worship as immature Christians.

The worst of us attempt to bargain with God, as Jacob did , naming conditions that God would first meet to qualify as Jacobs deity of choice.

The very best among us will sometimes worship the Savior with secret desire, ends, motives, and hopes in the back of our minds. While these “certain” things are very subtle, they are also very real and very present.

How does Jesus react?

He graciously accepts our impure worship, as He did James, and Johns and then begins to purify it.

He takes away heart idols, dashes a selfish hope, or delays a promise, and then watches to see our reaction.

Will we still desire to worship Him?

If so then our worship is of a purer type.

Or He may change a season of prosperity to one of adversity, and then watch to see our response.

When favor and success go and rejection and failure visit, will we still worship?

Does our worship become more pure and mature?

Does our worship become more like that of Job, of Habbukuk, of the apostle Paul and others, who continued in worship even when “certain things’ were removed.

John the Revelator, was exiled on an island and denied all of the things that he cherished, his friends, his ministry, most all creature comforts, yet he writes “I was in the Spirit on the Lords day’ Revelation 1:10 worshiping Jesus---without “desiring a certain thing of Him”.

Lets be more like John and worship Him without desiring anything except His approval.

DO THE ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYERS LEAD TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

Have you considered that there are prayers that should not be prayed at all?

Psalm 106:13-15

They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel:

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

And he gave them their requests; but sent leanness into their soul.

God had redeemed Israel out of Egypt.

He had performed unimaginable miracles on behalf of his very own.

He had provided marvelously for them during their wanderings across the desert.

There was never a need in the camp that was not provided by his own hand.

The people made two grievous errors.

1. They forgot. “they soon forgot his works.”

2. They were impatient. “ they waited not for his counsel.”

God had provided for them a substance never seen before -manna- “the bread of heaven” which supplied every need for physical nourishment.

The people began to despise this gift of provision.

They yielded to an inordinate appetite, they began to demand meat instead.

In response to their demands, God in his goodness, sent quail into the camp.

Quail in numbers so immense that the children waded through the quail and the refuse they emitted in depths up to their knees.

Sickness followed, as the meat was not what was needed at the time, and the droppings and waste, became a breeding ground for disease, killing many. “He gave them their requests; but sent leanness into their soul.”

How often have you prayed, knowing that what was being petitioned was not of God but was a result of the lust of flesh, yet just like a spoiled child, you trusted that God in his love and mercy would allow you to have your desire?

How often have you prayed on behalf of others who either asked for prayer or you just decided to pray for them, asking for things that were either unscriptural or unrighteous?

And after praying, seeing those things requested, being allowed and then the recipient fall even further from the better position that God had ordained.

And then to ameliorate your conscience, pointing out a weakness or flaw in the life of the one who received the gift as a reason for their failure.

We need to learn from Israel’s fate and guard against these two related errors of forgetfulness and of impatience.

We too, can be tempted to despise Gods will and to become puffed up thinking that our plan is better and quicker.

Whenever such thoughts occur, repent.

In such a situation the worst thing that God can do for us is grant our request.

For when He does, it will produce a leanness or sickness in our soul.

Suggested prayer:

May I have the wisdom to look beyond my desire for the moment, and see the perfect will of a Holy and Righteous God.

The following is a republication from August 2007

SCHOOL DAZE

READING WRITING ARITHMETIC

The excitement is building, along with the fatigue that comes with the search and shopping for all of the supplies on a list that are just the right items for back to school.

The parent-child frustration that comes with picking out appropriate clothing, the rescheduling of child care and the concern that comes when the youngest is dropped off for the first few days at pre-school or kindergarten.

A familiar concern arises whenever that same child steps out the door of the home and pulls away in the car to leave the nest for the first time to attend an institute of higher learning that you as a parent have prayed about and added more gray to the top of the head than you would have expected.

How will my child survive kindergarten, how will they manage the university life until they regain their bearings?

Come with us as we see where the word of scripture has application in the lives of our children and most certainly ours as well.

We all know that the Bible states in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he shall not depart from it.”

That takes the worry out of the possibility of losing moral direction and not knowing the way back whenever they leave home.

What a sense of peace to know that whatever they see in us, and the things that we teach them today will guide them tomorrow.

There will undoubtedly be times of struggle academically no matter what level of education they are in either public or private.

Once again the word comes through offering direction to all who would just learn what God has to say about any and every subject.

Take heart, your child can be, no, lets make that should be, the brightest student in any classroom, because God has told us and them how to achieve academic success.

Psalm 119:99 “ I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.”

And once againin Job 32:8 “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.”

And that is only two references, that promise without a doubt success in the realm of education if we will only understand that we ought not to have unnecessary worry and that failure is not on the horizon, if we know, and apply what God has given us as immediate help

HOW TO DESTROY THOSE YOU CLAIM TO LOVE

WANNA KNOW A SECRET?

Too many people do, and far too many people have become willing to break the trust that a secret entails.

In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul, reveals the sinful nature and lawlessness of mankind, stating how God was pouring out His wrath upon those who were rejecting His laws.

Because they had turned away from Gods instructions and guidance, He gave them over to sinful natures.

“They are gossipers, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil, they disobey parents, they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know Gods righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them: (Romans 1:29b-32).

Nothing has changed, men still conduct themselves the same way and God still knows about it.

Many reject Him and His word, so He allows them to be ruled by their sinful nature and depraved minds.

The Apostle Paul cautioned a particular group of people against entertaining the habit of gossiping and being idle.

“Thus they bring judgment upon themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to” (1 Timothy 5:12-13).

Whenever a person spends too much time in another’s home or works too closely with others, there is a tendency to become involved in a manner not identifiable as Christ like. They have occasion to see and hear things about others that have the potential to do tremendous harm, if not kept private.

Anyone can engage in the act of gossip simply by repeating something heard in confidence.

The book of Proverbs has a long list of verses that cover the dangers of gossip and the potential hurt that results when care is not taken to think of the other person and how he/she might react if something they wanted kept private is revealed.

“A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret” (Proverbs 11:12-13)

Many times, people are asked to keep a secret, but they find the secret too good *not* to share.

So they tell just one untrustworthy person who immediately goes to another with the “secret”, who goes to another and then the another goes to another and very soon the “secret” is out and it no longer even resembles the original broken covenant.

The problem began when the person who agreed to keep a secret, didn’t stick to the promise made.

There is a saying that states “If two people know a secret, the only one to be trusted with it is dead.”

The saying did not come with out a significant amount of truth.

“A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends” (Proverbs 16:28)

Think about the times that you have witnessed the destruction of a friendship that started with the poisonous tongue of a gossip. Those who engage in this behavior do nothing but stir up dissension and cause strife among friends. There is nothing honorable in their actions, and their own struggles or shortcomings are covered up by their desire to bring someone else down rather than focusing on the areas in their own lives which need work.

Some people thrive on this and will look for opportunities to destroy others.

And when people like this are confronted, they deny the allegations and answer with an excuse for why they’ve done what they have. Rather than admit their wrongdoing , they blame some one or something else, or attempt to make it seem as if the sin committed isn’t all that bad. “A fools mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a mans innermost parts” (Proverbs 18:7-8)

Gossip usually cuts deep. The topics that are “too good not to share” are generally ones that end up inflicting deep and cutting wounds to a persons inner being. And the betrayal almost always comes from someone close to the person affected. Gossip is bad enough when it comes from someone who is simply looking for a source of information they can share. But, when it begins with a trusted friend or someone who has been taken into confidence, the betrayal cuts deep to the soul, making it even harder for the one on the receiving end to forgive. “A gossip betrays confidence, so avoid a man who talks too much” (Proverbs 20:19)

Those people who are considered “busy bodies” are easily spotted and are usually in the center of the action, flitting from one situation to the next, seeking out a tidbit of information they can use to spread to others.

They’ll talk to just about anyone, pretending to care or be genuinely interested in what is being said to them, when all the while, their minds are racing ahead to the first person to whom they can repeat their conversation.

Gossips are only in it for themselves and the perverted pleasure it brings them to tear others down.

God has made a promise.

A promise that will be fulfilled in both the slanderer and the slandered.

“A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will [perish] not go free.”(Proverbs 19:5) and “Those who guard their mouths and tongues keep themselves from calamity (Proverbs 21:23).

So carefully guard your tongue and refrain from the sinful act of gossip.

Surrender all of your natural desires to the Lord and allow Him to help you remain righteous.

Love your neighbors as yourself and don’t sin against them in any way that you wouldn’t also do to yourself.

God rewards the just and the righteous, so strive to remain as such.

As I was watching a sporting event on television last night, I found myself getting caught up in the promotion of the participants.

One of my failings.

As the participants entered the area of competition I noticed written on the bottom of one of the combatants tee- shirt were the words JESUS SAVES,, alright! I thought here is a person who while he may not be allowed to promote his faith in a bold way, at least has had the fore thought to display it in smaller fashion on the bottom of his shirt.

His paying sponsors, as is customary, were boldly displayed across his chest and back for all to see.

As the camera panned in closer, to my dismay I noticed the word AT directly after JESUS SAVES, and shortly thereafter he removed his shirt and in the same plane that JESUS SAVES AT was written, on his shorts, was an advertisement for dot com establishment that deals in items used by some during the act of sex.

I was very disappointed, at realizing what had just happened,,,I was duped into thinking that here was someone worth celebrating, who would display his faith, but instead what had happened was that I realized that this man, if he knew Jesus at all, was acquainted with a Jesus that I do not know.

JESUS SAVES AT C-----D----.com

Shame on him, and shame on me for watching such a display of heresy.

The body of Christ is in a struggle for its very integrity, it is warring against those who claim that they know and serve the Christ of the Bible, yet based upon their lifestyles they surely have never truly named Him as Lord.

They cling to a sola fide (in faith alone) doctrine that concludes that there is no need for a committed life of Christian discipleship having been deceived by satan and by men who teach such untruth.

The terms bantered about include “easy believeism” or as some say “greasy grace.”

They have confused justification-the one time act of being declared righteous by God- with sanctification- the lifelong process by which the justified believer is conformed to the true image of Christ.

Those who call salvation by faith “easy believeism” have missed the fact that true conversion will always result in sanctification and a life of good works, along with a desire for holiness.

The Bible is very clear that salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

No other way.

The essenence of this doctrine is found in (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift from God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

So in that, we can see that faith as a gift given from God, is what leads us into salvation.

But the very next verse tells of the results of that salvation.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has fore ordained that we should walk in them.”

Rather than being saved by some easy act of our own wills, we are saved by the hand of God Almighty, by His will and for His use.

We become His servants, and from the very moment of salvation by faith, we embark on a journey of pre-ordained good works that are the evidence of that salvation.

If there is no evidence of growth and good works, we have reason to doubt that salvation ever truly took place.

“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20) and a dead faith is not a living saving faith.

Faith alone does not mean that some believers follow Christ in a life of discipleship, while others do not.

The “others” here refer to a separate category of believer known as “carnal Christian” a completely unscriptural concept.

Believers in the idea of the carnal Christian say that a person may receive Christ as Savior during a time of decision or religious experience, but never manifests any evidence of a changed life.

Here again is a false and dangerous teaching.

It provides a convenient excuse for a person who does not truly want to follow Christ.

Such a person is lulled into a false sense of security thinking that they have eternal life.

Nowhere in the Bible will we find support for the idea that a true Christian can remain in carnality for an entire lifetime.

Rather the Bible presents only two categories of people, Christians, and non-Christians, believers and unbelievers, those who have bowed to the Lordship of Christ Jesus and those who have not, please examine the following verses (John 3:36, Romans 6:17-18, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:18-24, Ephesians 2:1-5, 1 John 1:5-7: and 2:3-4).

While the security of a believers salvation is a biblical fact based upon the finished work of salvation through Jesus Christ, it is certainly true that some of those who seemed to have “made a decision” or “accepted Christ” may not genuinely be saved.

Those who continue to walk in the flesh, being unrepentant of a life of sin and iniquity are not believers.

That is why Paul exhorts us all to “examine yourselves to see if you are truly in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The “carnal” Christian who examines himself will see that they are not in the faith, that they claim.

(James 2:19) says, “ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!”

The type of “belief” demons have can be compared to the intellectual assent made by those who “believe” in Jesus only in the fact that He exists.

Many unbelievers in Christ will state that “I believe in God,” or “I believe in Jesus,” or perhaps some might say, “I prayed a prayer and the preacher said I was saved.”

The glaring problem is the word believe.

With true salvation , comes true repentance and evidence of a change of lifestyle.

(2 Corinthians 5:17) tells us that whenever we are in Christ, we become a new creation.

Is it possible then that a new creation continues to walk in the way of rebellion and sinful disobedience?

I contend that it is not.

Salvation is truly free to mankind.

The price was paid long ago, and the price was beyond measure.

Salvation cost Him, it should cost us everything, as we die to self will, and allow the Holy Spirit to make us into the image of Christ.

Salvation is a free gift from the Father, to those who will believe, but discipleship and obedience are the response and responsibility which will without doubt occur whenever one truly comes to Christ in faith.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HOLINESS ?

JUST WHAT DOES IS REALLY MEAN TO BE HOLY ?

In (1 Peter 1:13-16), Peter is writing to believers. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the HOLY ONE who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

Peter knew the scriptures, for he was quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2.

First lets look at the holiness of GOD.

What does the scripture mean when it states that GOD is holy?

Passages like 1 Samuel 2:2 and Isaiah 6:3 are just two of many examples of passages declaring and describing the holiness of GOD.

Another way to state it is that GOD is the embodiment of absolute perfection.

GOD is unlike any other “for I am GOD and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee” (Hosea 11:9) and His holiness is the essence of that “otherness”.

His very being is completely absent of any sin (James 1:13, Hebrews 6:18).

He is high above any other, and no one can compare to Him, (Psalm 40:5).

GODs holiness pervades His entire being and shapes all His attributes.

His love is holy, His mercy is holy, His anger and wrath are holy, His judgments are holy, and yes the rewards He grants to His very own are holy.

These concepts are difficult for humans to grasp, just as GOD is difficult for us to understand in His entirety.

Next, what does it really mean for us to be holy?

When GOD told Israel to be holy in Leviticus 11 and 19, He was instructing them to be distinctly different from the other nations by giving them specific regulations to govern their live.

Israel is GODs chosen nation and GOD has set them apart from all other people groups on this planet.

They are His special people, and consequently they were given standards that GOD wanted them to live by so the world would know they belonged to Him.

When Peter repeats the Lords words in 1 Peter 1:16 he is talking specifically to believers, those of his time and to those who were afar off (that would be us).

As believers we must be “set apart” from the world unto the Lord.

We have been instructed to live by GODs standards, not the worlds.

GOD is not calling us to be perfect, but to be separated, distinctly different from the lifestyles and morals of the world in which we live.

1 Peter 2:9, describes believers as a “holy nation”.

As a holy nation we must be separated from the norm and live out the reality of being different in our day to day lives, which Peter instructs us to do in 1 Peter 1:13-16.

Lastly, How can we become holy?

Holiness can only come about as a result of a right relationship with GOD by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior (accepting His gift of eternal life).

If we have never fully placed our entire hope of forgiveness of sins, on the finished work of Jesus Christ, then our pursuit of holiness will be in vain.

So, we must first be certain that we are truly born again believers (John 3).

If we are in fact true believers, then we will be aware that our position in Christ, automatically sets us apart from the world (1 Peter 2:9).

Look again at (Hosea 11:9), He will be in the midst of thee, but He will not enter again into a blended environment (or city), He will only come to those who are living a life not compromised by the ways and traditions of the world.

Do you desire holiness?

Then contrary to what many will teach, you must look, act, think, talk, laugh, live, give, love, grieve and hope in a way that is different than the world.

Have you ever considered just what Jesus actually meant when He said. “Take up your cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)

First lets examine what Jesus did not mean.

Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness.

With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s just the cross that I have to carry.”

Such an interpretation is not at all what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”

When Jesus carried His cross up the hill called Golgotha to be crucified, not one witness or participant was thinking of the rugged cross as symbolic of a burden to carry.

To a person, living in the first century, under Roman domination, the cross mean one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means a human being could develop.

Two thousand years after the fact, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace and love.

But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death.

Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” can only mean being willing to die in order to be a follower of Jesus.

This act is called “dying to self.”

It is a call for absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25)

Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Although these multitudes often followed Him as Messiah, their view of who the Messiah really was--and what He would do--was distorted. They thought the Christ had come to usher in the restored kingdom. They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Even Christ’s own inner circle of disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon (Luke 19:11). When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him.

Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and to exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trial.

Jesus assured us that trials would surely come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

In Luke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus.

Yet, when Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best.

They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus, appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation!

How many people would respond to an altar call (if one were even given) that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even you life”?

The number of false converts would likely decrease immensely! Such a call is just what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you believe that you have taken up your cross, please, consider these questions:

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends!

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing you life?

In many places in the world,these consequences are a reality.

But notice that all of the questions are preceded by “Are you willing?”

Following Jesus doesn’t mean that any of these things will actually occur to you, but “Are you willing to take up your cross?”

If it comes to a point in your life where you are forced to make the choice of--Jesus-- or the comforts of this life---which will you choose?

Commitment to Jesus, means to examine your self daily to see if you are truly willing to “take up your cross .”

Willing to forfeit all of your hopes, dreams, possessions, even you very life if need be, just to be called His disciple (Luke 14:27).

The reward, far outweighs any possible price.

Jesus followed the call of death to self, and went up Golgotha to complete the task.

Would you follow?

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).

A TRUE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH OF TODAY pt 2

A TRUE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH OF TODAY pt. 2

 

The milk of the Word has been watered down with lots of water.

Watered down milk is cheaper and easier to deliver to the masses than the heavier, nourishing, undiluted Word of the Lord.

The born again Christian desires and deserves the Pure Spiritual Milk ( 1 Peter 2:2) that has not been watered down with other things.

It is not man, but the Holy Spirit that opens a mans heart to understand.

So few seem to realize this.

It is a church age where Gods Word is proclaiming, Preach The Word (2 Timothy 4:2). Jesus (the Word) is outside the church knocking, yet it seems that no one has ears to hear.

What a blind church age it is!

Jesus is about to return; many signs increasingly testify to that fact.

Nevertheless, many churches will not teach Bible prophecy.

Even though much of the Bible pertains to prophecy concerning the end of the gentile age and the return of Christ, it is ignored.

Many churches teach on love, but have no love toward the born again person who is willing to take a righteous stand against the evil in this age.

They speak love and yet do not exhibit love in their lack of commitment to spreading the gospel of Jesus in their cities in the form of personal evangelism.

Many churches think they can see just how blind others are, but fail to see how blind they themselves are.

Many churches teach little or no Biblical doctrine, yet they wipe their mouths and say, “I have done no wrong”.( Proverbs 30:20)

In their blindness they have become the fulfillment of the Laodicean prophecies.

It is all too common to find church members who say they follow Christ, but are involved in every sort of sin imaginable.

Many of these same people hold positions of authority.

They may oversee the church’s businessaffairs, including the hiring and dismissing of pastors, yet they themselves, are spiritually dead and ignorant of Gods Word.

The church has been infected with leaven (false doctrine), which has grown like cancer, reaching to the very core.

The entire church is infected and sick, but does not know it.

Many missionaries take the false doctrine of the Laodicean church to the mission field and thereby further deceive the very people that he has come to teach.

Many missionaries partake of the heathen traditions of the indigenous population and in their futile efforts to win favor, exhibit an opposition to the Word of God.

When the missionary comes home he often has intertwined the pagan customs with the truth of the Word until neither is faithful.

It is wrong for pastors to allow heathenism, and the teachings of false religions into the church,….. to do so is sin.

Sin to those who bring the false teachings and sin to those who willingly or ignorantly allow it.

And sin to those who recognize the deception, yet do not have the courage to speak out about it.

There is one God and one Mediator, the man Christ Jesus.

No Buddhist, no Taoist, no Hindu, no Muslim, no Animist, no Coptic, nor any humanly Vicar, or their teachings have any place at the table of grace.

It was purchased by Christ and should be honored as such and not polluted with the doctrine of demons.

It is wrong for Christians to become involved in tradition that opposes the Word of God.

It is also wrong for Christian pastors to knowingly allow these practices among the flock of which they have been granted oversight.

To do so is willful sin on the pastors part and only serves to perpetuate the “leaven”.

Murder, theft, drugs, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, abortions, greed, materialism, swearing, hatred, and every manner of sin conceivable exist in our congregations.

Nevertheless, many of the unrepentant people that do these things will attend our churches this Sunday and never be told that sin is wrong, they will leave unchanged and unconvicted, being only emboldened to continue in iniquity.

In many churches the congregation is lead in song, after song, after song, until there is little or no time left for the speaker to bring the Word of God with the anointing of the Spirit.

The song is not the worship.

Throughout the ages the reading and preaching of the Word of God has been considered worship, and in many instances the congregation would stand for hours in solemn reverence as the Word was examined.

The truth of Gods Word has been abandoned and rejected by this generation, this abandonment has been perpetuated by a careless Church who has forgotten the Cross, the Blood and the Resurrection of Christ.

And replaced it with the feel good message of a false freedom to live in any manner that the individual chooses and still be accepted by a Holy and Just, God.

Recognize what is happening to this generation and weep for it, and teach the truth, in love, and in righteousness.

Colossians 4:12-13 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath, a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and in Hierapolis.”

A TRUE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH OF TODAY pt. one

 

This is the church age from which the Antichrist will emerge.

It is the church age Paul talked about that would not “endure sound doctrine, but would gather around themselves teachers that would say just what their ITCHING EARS wanted and desired to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3).

Jesus was asked about the sign of His coming.

The first thing He said was, “Take heed that no man deceive you” , (Matthew 24:4) before Jesus ever warned about wars and rumors of wars; before He related about famines, earthquakes, and diseases; before He told about the Gospel being published among all nations, He warned about the age of religious deception that would come.

This is that church age.

In the history of the seven churches, there has never been a church age so filled with deceptive doctrines and ideas, yet so totally ignorant of its true condition.

In the church of Sardis (the “dead” church), there were only a few names that had not defiled their garments. (Revelation 3:4)

However in the Laodicean church age, there is not even a mention of even a “few” that are not blind and naked.

This is very much in harmony with the Scriptures relating the coming of the Lord being as in the days of Noah, wherein FEW souls were saved.

Despite the overwhelming witness of Gods Word, regarding this church, they are in total ignorance of the truth, often preaching just the opposite.

Today’s church is full of deception; it will perish.

It is a church where people are entertained and made to feel good, instead of falling upon their knees in godly sorrow for sin.

It is a church age for laughing rather that for crying.

It is a church age of saying a sinners prayer and believing a person is saved, even though afterward there is absolutely no evidence of repentance, the fruits of the Spirit, doing the will of God, or the fruits of the works of God.

In some cases, the preachers, know these things, but will not tell their congregations the truth.

Some are afraid that people might leave their church and go elsewhere.

They love the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Having lots of unsaved or lukewarm people means more to them than having a few hot, spiritual people.

It is a church that has time to do all manner of things, but does not find time to humbly dwell in and study Gods Word as if their life depended on it.

It is the church age when thousands of Christian preachers may preside daily over funerals declaring that the deceased person is now in heaven---when in reality, he is screaming, tormented in the flames of hell.

When have you ever heard a preacher at a funeral say that the deceased person went to hell?

The Bible clearly shows that only a few are truly saved by the grace of God; however, if one would listen to the preachers at funerals, it would seem that everyone goes to heaven.

The preaching in many of today’s churches, consists of foolishness, jokes, storytelling, and teaching what pleases people, rather than Gods pure Word.

They do not preach that even the “thought of foolishness is sin “(Proverbs 24:9).

Some of Americas best comedians are behind pulpits.

Should a preacher, who gets the congregation laughing with jokes, then expect people to fall on their faces before God with conviction for sin and with tears of repentance?

Is this the way Jesus preached?

Did Jesus try to comfort those that came to hear Him with jokes, foolishness, or other antics to cause them to laugh?

The preaching in far too many of today’s churches, consists of reading a few Bible verses; then listening to the preacher talk about himself, his family, and other incidents that may relate somewhat to the verses.

The people learn very little if any about Jesus.

They learn practically nothing of the Word of God and of comparing the Word with the Word.

On the other hand they learn too much about the preacher, his family, his friends, the things he has done, and the list goes on.

What a blind church age we live in, when we spend more time in conversation about books that celebrities have written, teaching them for truth, rather than studying the absolute truths found in the Word of God!