A Noticeable Apostasy

A Noticeable Apostasy

There is a well known prophecy from a 12th Century Catholic Priest from Ireland named Malachy who was given a vision of the final line of Popes.

 He saw in particular what he believed to be the last 112 men who would set in what is called the "Chair of Peter."

For simplification the final 3 would be called  The Labor of the Son, The Glory of the Olive, and Peter the Roman.

While I truly believe in the reliability of Biblical Prophecy, I cannot state that I am 100% on board with all of Malachys writings, but will admit  that he seems to have predicted the majority of them with a measure of accuracy.

Lets start with “De Lobore Solis” or the Labor of the Son, a man born on May 18 1920 during a near total eclipse visible over most of Europe and died on April 2 2005 during an eclipse visible over a large portion of the Americas.  He is called Pope Paul.

Then there is the 111th Pope who Malachy called the Glory of the Olive or “Gloria Olivae” a man from the Benedictine Order of Priests who believes that his order will fight for the Church during the time of tribulation during  the end of days. He is no longer seated on Peters Chair, yet he is tucked away in the Vatican, no longer Pope carrying the title Pope Emeritus. His name is or was Pope Benedict.

That brings us to the final vision that Malchy recorded in regards to the Papal succession.
Malachy calls this man “Petrus Romanos” or Peter the Roman.

The current Pope carries the name Pope Francis, this named was picked to honor St. Francis of Assisi .
There is some confusion in regards to the chosen name as it has nothing to do with “Peter”.
This would seem to make the prophecy of Malachy of none affect in regards to this man, yet there is more to consider. The man named Francis is of Italian descent and of the order of Jesuits. The original St. Francis was a Roman friar whose birth name is Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone.  Pietro is Peter. 

Perhaps Malachy saw it correctly after all.


2 Thessalonians 2:3  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

What is this apostasy that Paul is speaking of in his letter to the Body of Christ at Thessaloniaca?

 It is normally described as a falling away from established truth or normalcy.

 For the purpose of three of these examples we will look at the same line of scripture as taken from an English version of Catholic Scripture, which uses the word rebellion in place of apostasy.

2 Thessalonians 2:3  Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction.(New Revised Standard Version Catholic)

 Now, that we have discussed that,  let us examine a few stories that have been reported in the news lately.

On July 17 2013, "The Washing ton Post" reported that the Catholic Church was offering an “ indulgence” in the form of less time in purgatory for anyone who followed the tweets of Pope Francis.

 That friend is “apostasy” or “rebellion” from the truth………..the concept of “purgatory” is heretical although the faithful of the Catholic Church have been led astray by the teaching of it for many years. 

For those who don’t know “purgatory” according to some, is a place that a soul goes to pay a price in punishment to purify it before it is allowed into Heaven.
The paying of “indulgences” is even worse……..imagine a grieving loved one or family member, paying a man a set fee to lessen the time that their loved one spent in an imaginary torture chamber.

Lets get one thing straight.
Did Jesus pay it all or did He not. 
Scripture tell us that on the Cross, the Savior cried out “it is finished”. 

USA Today reported on July 29 2013, that in an official communique from the Vatican, that Pope Francis has stated that he will not pass a judgment in regards to ‘gay” priests, in what seem to be an attempt at reconciliation between the Catholic Church and those that have chosen a lifestyle that contradicts with the Word of God.

This man in all of his wisdom has chosen to cast off truth, and embrace and perpetuate a sin that God call an abomination.

Lets look at the condemnation that this man has chosen for himself and anyone who would follow him in this thought.
Romans 1:26-32  “For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done.  They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents,  foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.” (New Revised Standard Catholic Version)

On September 10 2013 The Independent New U.K. reported that an open letter to "The Republica"  an Italian Newspaper, that Pope Francis had written that an atheist does not have to believe in God to be accepted by Him and enter His heaven.

My question to these three statements is, “Does this man, have any idea of the rebellion that he is planting into not only the Catholic Church, but into the Protestant Church as well, considering that his words are so publicly reported?

The Word of God clearly states that all men must come to terms with the fact that they are sinners worthy only of eternal punishment, unless they confess the One that God sent into the world to make payment for the sins of mankind.

John 3:16-21  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.  For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.  But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” (New Revised Standard Catholic Version)

Whom do you confess?

Will you follow The Truth, The Life and The Way, or will you follow a man who seems bent upon rebellion?

Defense for Decency

What are you thoughts on the culture war that is going on around us each and every day?

We see humanity changing its standards in regards to family, faith, and morality, and changing even the intent of good and bad. 

There is not a day that passes that someone that I meet, (and am certain that it applies to many of you as well), does not intentionally interject into a conversation the rapidly changing palate of societal norms.

One of the issues that I am bombarded with is the standard of morality that deals with homosexuality and the acceptance of that lifestyle by an ever increasing number of Governance, States, Individuals, and Churches.

The same arguments are floated in most of these conversations, the  idea that God made the homosexual to be what he is, the misguided idea that God  accepts all no matter what the chosen sin, and the idea that the God of the Old Testament changed His mind about man laying with man in sexual relationship so as that in the New Testament age it is an acceptable practice.

The thoughts of many began to change around 20 years ago as we began to be bombarded by the medias acceptance of homosexuality in the name of entertainment and prurient interest. Shortly thereafter crass, vulgar humor began to soften both men and women in their ideas about the ugliness of such an act.

 A rule of psychology is that if you can laugh about a matter then you will begin to accept the thing that you laugh about as harmless.

An individual changing his mind and beginning to accept the idea that homosexuality is not such a bad thing as long as it does not directly affect them is understandable, as far too many individuals have decided that it is easier to just go along with whatever is in vogue, than to actually drive a stake and make a stand for what is right no matter the cost.

A Governance changing course is no surprise, as those in government will accept anything or anyone who may be able to cast a vote that would allow them to hang on to the position that they so covet.

A Church or entire denomination changing its opinion of the act of homosexuality, and changing its mission statements to embrace that blatant sin, is however another matter.

Any Church or person who names the name of Christ should revisit the Holy Word of God and find out just how abhorrent this act is in the eyes of a God and Savior who is Holy.

I have visited with folks who claim to be a member of this Church or that Church who unflinchingly will tell anyone there is no mention of homosexuality in the pages of the New Testament. 
If that is what they truly believe, then shame upon that Pastor who stands in the pulpit and fails to call out to his congregants,  any sin and the punishment that God has prescribed on a day of His choosing. 

There are several places in Scripture that without question condemn the act of homosexuality.
Old Testament scriptures---Genesis 19:1-13 (is a discussion between Lot and the angels that came to deliver Lot and his family before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 (is Gods word concerning the act of homosexuality).

New Testament scriptures---Romans 1:26-27 (covers both male and female homosexuality) 1Corinthians 6:9 (tells of some including abusers of themselves with mankind, effeminate males and others,  who will not enter the kingdom of God) Romans 1:1-27 ( is a scathing expose of all of those who deny the truth of God and makes themselves wise in their own eyes in regards to what is and what is not sin).

God has never created a person with homosexual desires.

 The God of the Bible is wise enough to put a mans spirit in a male body and a female spirit in a females body. 

The Bible teach that people choose homosexuality because of sin (Romans 1:24-27) and ultimately because of their own choice.

The Bible does not describe the sin of homosexuality as  greater or lesser than any other sin. 
All sin is offensive to a Holy God.

When Christ was ministering to His disciples and to the many who followed Him to hear His teachings, He made mention of the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah and the resultant destruction of those cities and surrounding areas.

 Matthew 10:15 and Mark 6:11 are carefully recorded words of the same event.

 In Peters letter to Christians in the approximate year 66A.D. 2 Peter 2:6 ( the description of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah are given along with the fact that their destruction was done not only out of the righteous wrath of God, but for an example for any other group of people who would embrace that lifestyle)

Jude 1:7 ( once again the reason for destruction and the example for others who would do the same).

With this small amount of evidence, and there is much more, why would anyone or any entity embrace a lifestyle that is so obviously rejected by our God and Savior?

There is good news however for any one who would examine the truth, and that being that ALL sin will be forgiven any individual, who would only humble themselves and submit to the truth of God as found in
  John 3:16-20 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes in Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hates the light, neither comes into the light, because their deeds are evil. But he that doeth truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Jesus said in John 14:1 “ Let not your heart be troubled.”

We have discovered that Gods answer for troubled nations, troubled churches and troubled believers is found in John 14:6 “ I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”
It is also Gods answer for troubled sinners--those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you ought to be troubled--troubled about your destiny and about the fact that you  are missing so much that God has for you in this life.

You ought to be troubled about your future apart from God.

So, if you do not know Jesus  Christ as your Savior, then please, pay close attention to John 14:6.

This verse is illustrated in Luke 15, Jesus told a parable about a father and his two boys--an older brother and a younger. In this parable of the prodigal son, (by the way, the word prodigal means “wasteful”), the younger brother wasted all that he was given in riotous living.

As you read this account, notice the condition of this boy: he was lost (vs.24); he was also ignorant- verse 17 says, “when he came to himself;” and he was dead--”For this my son was dead” (v.24).

These are all characteristics of unsaved people, lost, ignorant, and spiritually dead.

People like to measure themselves by themselves.

Many lost people will argue, “I’m as good as the people at the church! In fact I am probably better!”

But God does not measure one sinner or one sin against another sinner or sin. 

God measures us by His own unchangeable standard of holiness.

If, and when you and I can say that we are like Jesus Christ, then God will accept us on our own merit.

So lets stop comparing ourselves with each other, and admit that every unsaved person is like this boy. 

First, he was lost.

What then does it mean to be lost?

It means being in a place of extreme danger.

It means being at a place of distance from the God whom we ought to love and serve.

In Luke 15, there are actually three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.

The lost sheep was in a place of danger and could not find his way home.

The lost coin was useless. You cant spend a coin that is lost!

And the lost son, was away from the joy and the fellowship that he could have had at home.

If you have never received Jesus Christ, you are lost…..not geographically, but spiritually.

You are in a far country if you are even one step away from God and His will for you.

Second, this young man was ignorant.

Luke 15:17 says, “when he came to himself”.

Up to that point this young man had been beside himself, blinded by sin, blinded by the world, and the flesh.

He thought that he could find joy and satisfaction out in the far country, but everything that he lived on ran out. The circumstances that he had chosen became unbearable.

Anyone who knew him would have said “That boy is really stupid. At home he would have protection and provision, he would have fellowship and love, yet here in this far country, he is starving and alone.

The pigs are better off than he is, because they have someone to take care of them, but no one is caring for this child.”

Third, he was dead.

Not physically dead, otherwise there would be no hope of reconciliation with his father.

He was spiritually dead.

He was away from his fathers life, love, and blessings.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then this is your condition as well.

You may be moral, you may be religious, and you may be kind: but if you have never trusted Christ, you are lost……you are away from the Fathers home…….you are ignorant……you are away from the Fathers blessings and truth………and you are dead….you are away from the Fathers life.

What did the prodigal son have to do to change all of this?

He had to make a decision.

He said, “I will arise.”

Salvation involves the whole person, the mind, the emotions, and the will.

With his mind he said, “How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare?” (v.17).

With his emotions he said, “I perish with hunger” (v.17).

And with his will he said, “I will arise” (v.18).

Salvation requires all three.

You can know the truth, and you can feel the need for Jesus, but until you say “I will arise and go to my Father!” God cannot save you.

Salvation is wholly of grace, but it is not forced upon anyone.

The lost sheep did not find his way home--the shepherd went out looking for the sheep.

The lost coin didn’t come rolling our from its hiding place, the women looked for it.

Salvation begins with Gods love for the lost sinner.

But in the third parable of Luke 15 the father did not go out to look for the son.

The father waited for the son to say “I will.”

In the three examples we see the two aspects to salvation.

We see Gods part---God seeks the lost sinner. “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)

This is Gods work of grace.

We are required to respond  personally to this grace. “I will arise and go”.

No one fully understands this.

This is one of the mysteries that we don’t fathom yet; but we know that it is true.

Jesus appeals to the will when he says, “Come.” 

This boy said, “I will arise and go to my father”

The only other place in the New Testament that speaks of  going to the Father is found in John  14:6.

Look at the verse beside Luke 15 and see the parallel.

This boy was lost, and Jesus said “I am the way.” The boy was ignorant and Jesus said “I am the truth.” The boy was dead and Jesus said, “I am the life.”

How do you come to the Father?

Through Jesus Christ!

You may be thinking, “Yes I agree with that….I am lost, I’m wandering, I’m in that far country. I’ve run out of satisfaction and sustenance, and I’m ready to quit.

Do you mean that Jesus Christ is the way to the Father?”

Yes, Jesus Christ is the way, he is the only way.

You may say to yourself, “Yes I may have been ignorant. I thought that I could live in sin and get away with it. I thought I could go out into the world and enjoy life; but I am realizing that true satisfaction is not found in sin. I’ve been stupid !” 

Jesus says, “I am the truth.” I will take you to the Father.

If you  say, “Yes, I’m dead in sin, I realize this,--I am lost, I am ignorant, and I am dead.”

Jesus answers, “I am the life”, I will take you to the Father.

For Jesus Christ to be the Way , the Truth, and the Life, to take us to the Father, he had to suffer and die on the cross. It is interesting that in the Gospel of John, Jesus used the phrase lifted up three times.

 

By “lifted up” he doesn’t mean exalted: he doesn’t mean being put high on a pedestal. By “lifted up” he means crucified. 

In John 12:32, Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth (crucifixion), will draw all peoples to Myself.”

Not everyone without exception, but everyone without distinction.--Jews, Gentiles, rich and poor, wise and unwise. 

He had to be lifted up to draw people to God.

He is the way.

He had to die that He might open the true and living way.

Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He” (John 8:28).

He was lifted up that he might draw people in the way, and he was lifted up that he might reveal to people the truth. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

He was lifted up so that people might have the way, know the truth, and receive the life.

Are ever troubled by the thought of your sin?

I hope that you are!

I hope you realize how foolish a thing it is to live in sin, If you are troubled by your sin and by the thought of someday facing God, listen to Jesus words in John 14:6. If you want to come to the Father, simply open your heart to Jesus Christ; for he is the only One who can save you and take you to the Father.

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

He is Gods perfect, and only remedy for troubled nations, troubled churches, troubled hearts, and troubled sinners.

“Let not your heart be troubled.”

Will the real Ekklesia please stand up

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:13-14).




In recent polls, it is reported that the modern church comprised over 75% of the population who call themselves Christians. Of those 75% the poll shows that 43% of those people attend a church somewhere, every weekend. But if you look at the societal conditions of the current century, they are the most impotent, insignificant, and irrelevant group of people to influence the direction of this society in all our history.



Think about it. We are talking of upwards of 159 million people who attend church in this country. That is a significant bloc of people that would make the ACLU or the AFL-CIO unions envious of their numbers and would give them untold power to control the social structure of this country. Each of these aforementioned groups is a minority of individual members that comprise only about 11% for all unions and about half-million members of the ACLU. Then why is the American society and our country going to the proverbial “hell in a hand basket” when we have a lop-side majority?



There is no mistaking that prior, during and after the American Revolution that the church of God fearing men and women had a vast amount of influence over the direction of this country. But in the last half of the 20th Century (since WW II) that influence grew silent. How can we see it any other way when God was kicked out of our schools, and we stood silent? What did we do when abortion laws of Roe v Wade was enacted and passed into law during the 1970s?



Did men and women, pastors and clergymen stand up and voice their opposition? Do we stand unified in our opposition to homosexual unions of marriage and gay lobby agenda that God calls an abomination or have we stood silent? Do we stand for the backbone of our country, the family of one man, one woman united to produce godly children?
You know the answer to those questions, as we would not be in the societal mess we are in today if they were not true in the negative.
The modern churches have been whipped into submission and have become irrelevant.Now the church continues to stand silent, deaf and mute when the police state threatens to turn this country into a godless socialist state. When compared to our beginnings of a republic founded on the Ten Commandments and godly principles what influence does the church have today? Again zip, nada, zilch, nothing is all that can be stated with any truth to it.



We had resurgence, in the 1980s for a short period of time where the religious right, the moral majority stood up, or whatever you want to call it, were in the political arena, but where are they today? I would tell you there are comatose, beyond comatose, as they are clinically dead. Further our churches today are spiritually dead. Our Christian universities are dead. Our Sunday schools to teach our children are dead. Denominations of every stripe are dead.



They have become entertainment centers, social clubs, and employ pastors that wish not to offend. They build bigger and better churches, larger gymnasiums, coffee shops and shopping malls so in their minds they can draw the masses for a “feel good time” while giving messages of self improvement, purpose driven lives, entertainment and ignore hell fire and brimstone messages of judgment, repentance and salvation through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Oh, no, that would offend.



"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).





America’s pastors, these wolves in sheep’s clothing, have fleeced the flock, and they have become irrelevant to address the societal concerns of our days. In America, we are talking about a nation in which citizens (including Christians) are able to lobby, redress government, protest, rally, organize opposition, speak, vote, form PACs, march, petition, etc. Christians are as free to influence their societies and governments as are any other group of people in the United States. It is not like we have no voice, but it’s like we have become complacent, deaf, dumb and mute.



And who is to blame? I tell you, it’s the pastors of these churches who teach a “feel good gospel.” Paul warned that if they preach anything but the gospel of Christ that was once delivered to the saints of the church of Galatia (Galatians 1:8-9), “Let them be accursed.”
Do they speak the truth?
Do they stand for righteousness?
Do they stand in the gap when government enacts laws contrary to the Word of God?
I tell you they do not.

They have been whipped into silence by the govenment that gies them tax breaks or they wish to not
offend their congregation, so they speak soft words that do not offend anyone about their sinful condition, or their need to stand for righteousness in a nation that is going to the dogs.


I have warned of teachers of the “Word of Faith,” the “name and claim it” crowd who preach a prosperity gospel who look for a kingdom on earth that will get better and better, richer and richer, but they are only a subset of the cancer that grows in our modern church pulpits that must bear the brunt of the blame for the failure to influence society in Jesus’ Name. The symptoms are wide and they are perverse.
ARE WE IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING?

In other lands, the “true church” is growing underground. They have restrictions over influencing society or politics by a government that is persecuting them in Communist China, or Russia and they prevent any uprising or revolution by eliminated their ability to mount a revolt by removing the ability to bear arms. They have removed all individual right to ownership of guns. Does this sound familiar?


Christians in persecuted lands are not enamored with entertainment, recreation, and irrelevant Bible exposition. You don’t have to bring in some big name rock band to entice them to fellowship. You don’t have to give their teenagers mentioned big gymnasiums for activities. You don’t have to give those young adults coffee shops and espresso machines. You don’t have to shy away from criticisms of tyrannical government. And you certainly are not going to score any points with your fallacious “obey-the-government-no-matter-what” interpretation of Romans 13.

Unfortunately, sometimes the church must be oppressed to return to the teachings of the Bible, much like these citizens of Communist countries have been oppressed and persecuted, so I pray for the USA and its citizens to wake-up, as the Nazi like atmosphere could come to this land, as it did in Germany.


LET US RETURN BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

We must return to the mindset of the 19th Century when Charles Finney said these words:

Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics .God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the church will take right ground. Politics are a part of a religion in such a country as this, and Christians (and citizens) must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God. It seems sometimes as if the foundations of the nation are becoming rotten, and Christians seem to act as if the think God does not see what they do in politics.
Finney also said:

If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public presslacks moral discernment, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in Christianity, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.



Let me ask you something.   If you preach and teach the stories of the Bible concerning Daniel and the lions den, or the three Hebrew children and the fiery furnace, or say, the life and example of Jesus Christ and not apply it to your everyday life around you, what good is it?

They just become stories that have no effect on your life, or your society at large.

What good does it do to preach expository messages on the Bible if one does not make those messages relevant to the times and circumstances in which we live?
Yet, “ear tickling” entertainment, and irrelevant exposition seem to be what the modern church in America excels in. The result is: Ineffective, impotent, weak, unprepared, and sheepish Christians.

That’s what we have become: Irrelevant.



If you look around at your church members, you see businessman who would steal from their grandmothers. There is no difference in them from those in the secular world. Deacons and church officers caught in lies and cowardly deeds that are the same in the unbelieving world, so- called Christians chasing the neighbor’s wife or lusting after the latest luxury.

 How can you expect the world to change when the so-called “church” does the same?



What good has it done with all the youth groups, prophecy forums, and expositions on eschatology that argue its nuances to ad nauseum, while we play, party, prance, dance, debate philosophy and pontificate while a fire has been burning down the foundations of this country? And we lift not a finger to fetch a bail of water to put the fire out.


ARE WE IN THE RUN UP TO THE TRIBULATION?


There is coming a time and it may have already started, when “the rain will fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45)

When the ship of state crashes on the rocks of tyranny, Christian and non-Christian will be affected equally.

When our economy crashes and goes down in flames because of society that has grown evil and the church stays silent, then Christian and non-Christian will be equally affected.

Truly did the Lord Jesus say, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13).

In ancient times and even during the beginnings of this country, salt was used to preserve, to prevent spoilage, and to retard rot and ruin. But when Christians loose their saltiness they open themselves to oppression and tyranny. They are good for nothing, except to “be trodden under the foot of men.”
Unfortunately, pastors of this nation have become “good for nothing” by a large majority as the pastors are suppose to protect the saltiness of the saints to preserve the nation.
We have all but become rotten in our core beliefs of this nation and I tell you, judgment is coming.
We have been warned for many years now, as the prophets of old to the likes of Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel warned Israel, we have BEEN WARNED.

There is an event that all of us long for, and I believe it is coming soon. An event when the true believing church will be removed from this earth. Then those who have filled the walls of big modern churches will look around and see people missing. They will hear news flashes from all over the world that a cataclysmic event has happened. What I pray for is that an army of God before that day happens will arise and speak God’s truth. Much like Gideon, God whittled down his army of 30 thousand down to 300 of God fearing men who took the fight to the enemy and defeated them.

That’s what I pray for that, God will use whatever means to bring godly men to the forefront to speak to the truth of our times, to boldly go where others fear to tread. An army of black robed regiment of pastors who fear no one but: God. I wish they would be like the 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel who will finally speak the truth without fear. Too late for America is what I expect, but I can pray God’s mercy to reach even some of those asleep at the present in this country.

The great Christian patriot and “Father of the American Revolution,” Sam Adams said:
“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in the people’s minds.”

That is what we need.

We need brush fires, before this nation is destroyed.

Will you who read this and take that charge?

Pastor, will you take the mantle and wear that black robe and become part of the regiment to spread the truth of God’s Word?
Have you been tickling the ears of your congregation?
If you have, take an oath from this day forward that you will speak only God’s truth no matter: who it may offend.

Are you Christian in heart, but not in deeds?

Take a pledge that you will NOT continue in your La-La land of ear itching, feel good messages, but will find a church, a pastor, a Bible believing group of like-minded Christians in a church or in a living room, “So help you God.”
Will you vote in any remaining elections for only God-fearing men, and throw the other bums out?

If not, I speak to you both, may God have mercy on you, and this country. You’re going to need it.

Dont Cultivate Bitter Roots

By using the image of a root, the writer of Hebrews taught us a number of practical truths about bitterness in the human heart.

For one thing, a root has to be planted.

How does this bitterness get planted in the heart?

Usually its by getting hurt by something somebody has said or done and then holding a grudge against that person.
It could happen in a church committee meeting or in private conversation.

The culprit probably doesn't even know the he or she has hurt someone. Instead of facing the matter openly and honestly, we bury it in our hearts and a root of bitterness starts to grow.

But roots will not grow unless they are cultivated.

If you and I would honestly confess our hurt and our sin to the Lord, he would help us pull up the root.

This would save us a great deal of pain.

The trouble is, we enjoy feeding our egos and cultivating the bitterness down inside. Outwardly, we maintain pious behavior, but inwardly, we are full of bitter poison.

Hidden sins do not stay hidden very long. A day and an hour comes when that root of bitterness springs up in bitter words or actions, and then everybody discovers what only God had known, has been festering inside of you.

 Poison that has been brewing in the heart for weeks, or perhaps years, suddenly erupts and infects everyone around us.

A root of bitterness causes trouble and defilement, according to the Scriptures, it never makes the bitter person better, nor does it improve the people in the home, the workplace, or the church. In fact, the root of bitterness troubles and defiles long before it is recognized openly. It is impossible for bitter believers not to have that hidden bitterness affect their prayer life, their witnessing, fellowshiping, and serving. Because they are troubled and defiled, they trouble and defile everything and everyone that they come into contact with, yet, all the while maintaining a fraudulent spirituality.

A root of bitterness must be dealt with drastically.

It must be exposed and pulled up. The ax must be laid to the root of the tree. It does no good just to break off the sick branches or pluck off the dead leaves, the life of the problem is in the roots, they must be destroyed or they will once again grow and yield sour fruit.

If you have ever had to dig up a tree root that need to go, then you will know what a difficult task it can become.
This kind of spiritual surgery is never easy, but it is necessary.

Of course the best approach would be to keep the root from ever taking hold in the first place this takes effort, which explains why the writer used exhortations such as "follow peace" and "looking diligently" (Hebrews 12: 14, 15).
Just as the gardener must hate weeds and pull them up, so the believer must hate roots of bitterness and pull them up as well.

And keep this in mind: It is easier to pull them up when they are small. The longer we wait the deeper they grow and the more bitter the poison gets.

Three words tell us how to keep the roots of bitterness out of the soil of the heart: "peace," "holiness," and "grace." If we are following peace with all men, we will obey our Lord instructions in Matthew 18:15-20, and we will not permit hurt feelings to break our fellowship with our brothers and sisters.

If we are cultivating holiness of life, the atmosphere will simply not permit roots of bitterness to thrive.
All of this we do by the grace of God.

By nature we want to defend ourselves and get whatever good we think we deserve (and perhaps to make sure others get the evil that we imagine that they deserve). But the grace of God changes the direction of those desires.

It is a foolish waste of time and energy cultivating roots of bitterness when we could be cultivating the fruit of the Spirit.

It is next to impossible for bitter roots to grow successfully where love, joy, and peace are flourishing. Bitterness will be crowded out by the depth of the Spirits mercy. 
And then the harvest of the Spirit would be revealed in a much more enjoyable and beautiful life than one that is consumed by an ugly root of bitterness.
The grace of God never fails, but we might fail to appropriate the grace of God if we refuse to heed this warning.
Perhaps the time has come for some of us to examine the soil of our hearts, and the things that are growing therein.