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.