As we gather to celebrate yet another birthday of this once grand and glorious confederacy - let us take a moment, bow our knee and as did Daniel, pray that Almighty God forgive the sins of this nation:
"O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings,[presidents] our princes, [senators and congressmen] and our fathers, and to all the people of the land...
.....We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay..."Daniel 9
"One method of assault may be to effect in the forms of the Constitution alterations... and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown.... The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism....
"And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion [i.e. Christianity]. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
"...a passionate attachment of one Nation for another produces a variety of evils. ...it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens... facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country without odium, sometimes even with popularity..."
The above is a portion of George Washington's Farewell Address, 1796, but it somehow seems appropriate, perhaps even more today than it was then.
"But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward." Jeremiah 7:24
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
John MacArthur speaking to roughly a 3,000-strong Christian audience in Palm Springs, California said:
"Materialism, drunkard pleasure seeking, arrogant conceit, defiant sinfulness, moral perversion, and corrupt leadership… Do we not see these in America?”
Identifying Israel’s six sins leading to six curses on that nation from Isaiah 5, MacArthur said those misdeeds were not isolated to Israel, “I look at America too.
Americans have rejected the Word, the law of the LORD, and the Holy One Himself. When a society does not want to hear from God, but wants to be its own authority, where every man does that which is right in his own eyes, feeling that he is the ultimate authority, believing himself to be the ultimate source of truth then that society should expect God' judgment to come.
We have corrupt leaders who have prostituted their position and justified wicked people for a bribe, taking away the rights of the innocent they have become politicians and leaders who can be bought and sold for a price."'
The church appears to be no different than the world. Our churches are filled with those who are idling in intellectual neutral. Christians whose hearts and minds are being destroyed through false teachings and lack of knowledge and discernment. The depth of so many church-goers' theology goes no further than a collection of Biblical sounding, pop-Christian slogans and catch-phrases or televangelists spewing false hope without a Biblical base. Their theology is summed up in ~ "Let go and let God!', Do your best and God will do the rest', You need to expect to meet God when you...' and What Would Jesus Do?'... "
We are not a covenant people as is Israel, but we are a privileged people. Although America does not have a “divine promise as a unique nation called of God, we as a nation and a people have been given the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our nation was born out of a desire to be faithful and obedient to that living and abiding Word of God." But, we as a nation have become unfaithful, disobedient, living worldly lifestyles and the desire for holiness [to be separate from sinners] is not to be found.
We are a nation in crisis.
"My son, if you receive my Words, and treasure My commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understand: yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasure; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of G-D. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding..." Proverbs 2:1-6
"Materialism, drunkard pleasure seeking, arrogant conceit, defiant sinfulness, moral perversion, and corrupt leadership… Do we not see these in America?”
Identifying Israel’s six sins leading to six curses on that nation from Isaiah 5, MacArthur said those misdeeds were not isolated to Israel, “I look at America too.
Americans have rejected the Word, the law of the LORD, and the Holy One Himself. When a society does not want to hear from God, but wants to be its own authority, where every man does that which is right in his own eyes, feeling that he is the ultimate authority, believing himself to be the ultimate source of truth then that society should expect God' judgment to come.
We have corrupt leaders who have prostituted their position and justified wicked people for a bribe, taking away the rights of the innocent they have become politicians and leaders who can be bought and sold for a price."'
The church appears to be no different than the world. Our churches are filled with those who are idling in intellectual neutral. Christians whose hearts and minds are being destroyed through false teachings and lack of knowledge and discernment. The depth of so many church-goers' theology goes no further than a collection of Biblical sounding, pop-Christian slogans and catch-phrases or televangelists spewing false hope without a Biblical base. Their theology is summed up in ~ "Let go and let God!', Do your best and God will do the rest', You need to expect to meet God when you...' and What Would Jesus Do?'... "
We are not a covenant people as is Israel, but we are a privileged people. Although America does not have a “divine promise as a unique nation called of God, we as a nation and a people have been given the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our nation was born out of a desire to be faithful and obedient to that living and abiding Word of God." But, we as a nation have become unfaithful, disobedient, living worldly lifestyles and the desire for holiness [to be separate from sinners] is not to be found.
We are a nation in crisis.
"My son, if you receive my Words, and treasure My commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understand: yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasure; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of G-D. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding..." Proverbs 2:1-6
Thursday, June 23, 2011
In view of all that is happening in our nation and around the world, I found this to be a message for such a time as this:
THE LORD’S MERCIES
by David Wilkerson
In ancient Israel, the ark of the covenant represented the mercy of the LORD, a powerful truth that came to be embodied in Christ. We are to receive His mercy, trust in the saving blood of His mercy, and be saved eternally. So, you can ridicule the law, you can mock holiness, you can tear down everything that speaks of God. But when you mock or ridicule God’s mercy, judgment
comes—and swiftly. If you trample on His blood of mercy, you face His awful wrath.
That’s exactly what happened to the Philistines when they stole the ark. Deadly destruction came down on them until they had to admit, “This isn’t
just chance or happenstance. God’s hand is clearly against us.”
Consider what happened when the ark was taken into the heathen temple of Dagon, to mock and challenge Israel’s God. In the middle of the night, the mercy seat on the ark became a rod of judgment. The next day, the idol Dagon was found fallen on its face before the ark, its head and hands cut off. 1 Samuel 5:2-5
Beloved, this is where America should be today. We should have been judged long ago. I say to all who mock and challenge the mercy of God: Go ahead, try all you want to bring Christ’s church under the power of secularism or agnosticism. But if you mock the mercy of Christ, God will cast all your power and authority to the ground.
Jeremiah says, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion' fail not.” Lamentations 3:22
Yet when men make a mockery of that great mercy which is Christ, judgment is sure. It is only the mercy of the LORD that delays judgment. And right now America is benefiting from that mercy. Incredibly, our country is in a race with the rest of the world to remove God and Christ from society. Yet the LORD will not be mocked; His mercies endure forever.
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
We are not to despair over the present condition in America. We grieve over the awful corruption, mockery and sin, but we have hope because -
GOD IS IN CONTROL.!.
THE LORD’S MERCIES
by David Wilkerson
In ancient Israel, the ark of the covenant represented the mercy of the LORD, a powerful truth that came to be embodied in Christ. We are to receive His mercy, trust in the saving blood of His mercy, and be saved eternally. So, you can ridicule the law, you can mock holiness, you can tear down everything that speaks of God. But when you mock or ridicule God’s mercy, judgment
comes—and swiftly. If you trample on His blood of mercy, you face His awful wrath.
That’s exactly what happened to the Philistines when they stole the ark. Deadly destruction came down on them until they had to admit, “This isn’t
just chance or happenstance. God’s hand is clearly against us.”
Consider what happened when the ark was taken into the heathen temple of Dagon, to mock and challenge Israel’s God. In the middle of the night, the mercy seat on the ark became a rod of judgment. The next day, the idol Dagon was found fallen on its face before the ark, its head and hands cut off. 1 Samuel 5:2-5
Beloved, this is where America should be today. We should have been judged long ago. I say to all who mock and challenge the mercy of God: Go ahead, try all you want to bring Christ’s church under the power of secularism or agnosticism. But if you mock the mercy of Christ, God will cast all your power and authority to the ground.
Jeremiah says, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion' fail not.” Lamentations 3:22
Yet when men make a mockery of that great mercy which is Christ, judgment is sure. It is only the mercy of the LORD that delays judgment. And right now America is benefiting from that mercy. Incredibly, our country is in a race with the rest of the world to remove God and Christ from society. Yet the LORD will not be mocked; His mercies endure forever.
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
We are not to despair over the present condition in America. We grieve over the awful corruption, mockery and sin, but we have hope because -
GOD IS IN CONTROL.!.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
"For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."—Romans 3:3-4
"We began our coverage of this final round just about three hours ago and when we did it was our intent to begin the coverage of this U.S. Open Championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship being held in our nation’s capital for the third time. Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we’d like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it.”
Offended - No. Shocked - No. Surprised - No.
Saddened - Yes. That we as a nation could, with such ease, "edit out" our God is a tragedy of monumental proportions. Coincidence?
Barack Hussein Obama speaking in response to a U.N. resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity said:
“This marks a significant milestone in the long struggle for equality, and the beginning of a universal recognition that LGBT persons are endowed with the same inalienable rights, [clearly an allusion to the language of the Declaration of Independence] and entitled to the same protections -- as all human beings.”
This statement was the third time this year that the president has used the “inalienable rights” language and omitted the word “Creator.”
When God devised the great plan of salvation by grace; when He gave His own Son to die as the Substitute for guilty men; when He proclaimed that whosoever believed in Jesus Christ should have everlasting life; you would have thought that everybody would have been glad to hear such good news, and that they would all have hastened to believe it. Christ is so suitable to the sinner. Why does not the sinner accept Him? The way of salvation is so simple, so suitable to guilty men, it is altogether so glorious, so grand, that if we knew and understood the depravity of the human heart, we should expect that every sinner would at once believe the gospel, and receive it gladly. [edited from sermon by C.H. Spurgeon]
But, sadly, some have not believed!
"We began our coverage of this final round just about three hours ago and when we did it was our intent to begin the coverage of this U.S. Open Championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship being held in our nation’s capital for the third time. Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we’d like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it.”
Offended - No. Shocked - No. Surprised - No.
Saddened - Yes. That we as a nation could, with such ease, "edit out" our God is a tragedy of monumental proportions. Coincidence?
Barack Hussein Obama speaking in response to a U.N. resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity said:
“This marks a significant milestone in the long struggle for equality, and the beginning of a universal recognition that LGBT persons are endowed with the same inalienable rights, [clearly an allusion to the language of the Declaration of Independence] and entitled to the same protections -- as all human beings.”
This statement was the third time this year that the president has used the “inalienable rights” language and omitted the word “Creator.”
When God devised the great plan of salvation by grace; when He gave His own Son to die as the Substitute for guilty men; when He proclaimed that whosoever believed in Jesus Christ should have everlasting life; you would have thought that everybody would have been glad to hear such good news, and that they would all have hastened to believe it. Christ is so suitable to the sinner. Why does not the sinner accept Him? The way of salvation is so simple, so suitable to guilty men, it is altogether so glorious, so grand, that if we knew and understood the depravity of the human heart, we should expect that every sinner would at once believe the gospel, and receive it gladly. [edited from sermon by C.H. Spurgeon]
But, sadly, some have not believed!
Monday, June 20, 2011
"Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God." Revelation 3:2
WAKE US UP LORD, WAKE US UP
should be the heart cry of every born-again, blood washed follower of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our King. As we in America see the church sliding even further into the muck and the mire; homosexual clergy, "Christian entertainers", "muslim Christians," the acceleration of spiritual blindness and spiritual deception, the judgment-less Love Wins mythology of the Emerging Church icon Rob Bell, the growing acceptance of the Word Faith heresy of smiling Joel Osteen...
It’s one thing to say you belong to God, but it’s quite another to have the life to back it up. You don’t think the Pharisees had good works; of course they did, but they loved the approval of men, just as Rick Warren, Rob Bell, Joel Osteen and Pope Benedict XVI seem to today.
I exhort you, don’t be fooled by deluded deceivers any longer because this is what the Lord says to those who are:
"But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it." Revelation 2:14-17 [ken silva, apprising ministries]
WAKE US UP LORD, WAKE US UP, AND STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS.
WAKE US UP LORD, WAKE US UP
should be the heart cry of every born-again, blood washed follower of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our King. As we in America see the church sliding even further into the muck and the mire; homosexual clergy, "Christian entertainers", "muslim Christians," the acceleration of spiritual blindness and spiritual deception, the judgment-less Love Wins mythology of the Emerging Church icon Rob Bell, the growing acceptance of the Word Faith heresy of smiling Joel Osteen...
It’s one thing to say you belong to God, but it’s quite another to have the life to back it up. You don’t think the Pharisees had good works; of course they did, but they loved the approval of men, just as Rick Warren, Rob Bell, Joel Osteen and Pope Benedict XVI seem to today.
I exhort you, don’t be fooled by deluded deceivers any longer because this is what the Lord says to those who are:
"But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it." Revelation 2:14-17 [ken silva, apprising ministries]
WAKE US UP LORD, WAKE US UP, AND STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand. Ezekiel 33:6
I read the following and was saddened by the apparent attitude of the christian author:
"I know, some of you nasty, negative discerning types will continue to warn us that Beth Moore lacks understanding of basic hermeneutical principles; that she often twists Scripture to fit into her own propositions. Or you might remind us that she often claims direct revelation from God.
Yes, admittedly, some of her teachings are very similar to the heresies promoted by the Word of Faith crowd. And she tends to interject and employ a lot of pop-psychology, self-esteem stuff that is reminiscent of Robert Schuller. And you might object that she espouses the unbiblical model of spiritual warfare promoted by some “deliverance” ministries or that she teaches the kind of unbiblical, generational bondage that is promoted by Bill Gothard."
The article continues:
"But I say, SO WHAT? Why would any church want to remove her books, videos, and Bible studies from their library shelves? After all, it’s good for people to have sufficient information from all philosophies so that we can make informed decisions about what we believe to be truth. Beth Moore’s material isn’t nearly as heretical as other stuff on the shelves like “The Prayer of Jabez,” or “The Purpose Driven Life,” or the old classic, “God Calling.” And frankly, her teaching is no more problematic than most of the Sunday morning drivel we get from thousands of purpose pastors and seeker soothers each week."
So a little "heretical" is acceptable. No longer do we need cling to the truth of scripture - just be tolerant and accepting of other philosophies, bring the Koran into your church services, welcome orthodox rabbis and Muslim clerics to speak in your church, repent for your homophobic attitudes, SO WHAT.!.
Tolerance and acceptability of other religions and philosophies are destroying the body of Christ - our attitude must not and never can be - SO WHAT.
But, as a watchman on the wall, one who hopefully stands for The Truth of His Word, we must speak out -
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14
We are His children, called by His Name, if it does not matter to us, to whom does it matter.?.
I read the following and was saddened by the apparent attitude of the christian author:
"I know, some of you nasty, negative discerning types will continue to warn us that Beth Moore lacks understanding of basic hermeneutical principles; that she often twists Scripture to fit into her own propositions. Or you might remind us that she often claims direct revelation from God.
Yes, admittedly, some of her teachings are very similar to the heresies promoted by the Word of Faith crowd. And she tends to interject and employ a lot of pop-psychology, self-esteem stuff that is reminiscent of Robert Schuller. And you might object that she espouses the unbiblical model of spiritual warfare promoted by some “deliverance” ministries or that she teaches the kind of unbiblical, generational bondage that is promoted by Bill Gothard."
The article continues:
"But I say, SO WHAT? Why would any church want to remove her books, videos, and Bible studies from their library shelves? After all, it’s good for people to have sufficient information from all philosophies so that we can make informed decisions about what we believe to be truth. Beth Moore’s material isn’t nearly as heretical as other stuff on the shelves like “The Prayer of Jabez,” or “The Purpose Driven Life,” or the old classic, “God Calling.” And frankly, her teaching is no more problematic than most of the Sunday morning drivel we get from thousands of purpose pastors and seeker soothers each week."
So a little "heretical" is acceptable. No longer do we need cling to the truth of scripture - just be tolerant and accepting of other philosophies, bring the Koran into your church services, welcome orthodox rabbis and Muslim clerics to speak in your church, repent for your homophobic attitudes, SO WHAT.!.
Tolerance and acceptability of other religions and philosophies are destroying the body of Christ - our attitude must not and never can be - SO WHAT.
But, as a watchman on the wall, one who hopefully stands for The Truth of His Word, we must speak out -
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14
We are His children, called by His Name, if it does not matter to us, to whom does it matter.?.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
"Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth." John 17:17
We spend more time in the world than we do in The Word. We are worldly wise but have no godly wisdom. We are separated from God through lack of knowledge and many are deceived, distressed, disillusioned and defeated.
No man has truly repented or seeks to change until his sin wounds him as it wounds the heart of God, until the wound runs deep enough to break the pride, arrogance and self-assurance that prevails in the sinful heart of each of us. We must be changed by The Living Word coming alive in our hearts. We must - read it, write it, pray it, live it, study it, and pass it on.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing The Word of Truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
IF you do not know The Truth, you will believe the lie. IF you do not know The Truth, you will believe anything.
We spend more time in the world than we do in The Word. We are worldly wise but have no godly wisdom. We are separated from God through lack of knowledge and many are deceived, distressed, disillusioned and defeated.
No man has truly repented or seeks to change until his sin wounds him as it wounds the heart of God, until the wound runs deep enough to break the pride, arrogance and self-assurance that prevails in the sinful heart of each of us. We must be changed by The Living Word coming alive in our hearts. We must - read it, write it, pray it, live it, study it, and pass it on.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing The Word of Truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
IF you do not know The Truth, you will believe the lie. IF you do not know The Truth, you will believe anything.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Consider this prayer from the journal of evangelist and author of Pilgrims Progress, John Bunyan:
"After my previous repentance, there is again one thing which makes me sad; that is, if I most severely examine the best thing I am now doing, in it I discover sins, new sins mingled in the best thing I do. Therefore now, I cannot help but conclude that no matter how proud of myself and how idealistic I was concerning myself and my work, and even if my former living were without blemish, yet the sins that I commit in a day are enough to send me to hell. In such a deep feeling of sins, he cried out: “Unless He is such a great Savior, He surely cannot save such a great sinner as I."
or these words from John Knox as he lay upon his death bed:
"O Lord, have mercy on me, do not judge my innumerable sins; amongst them, may you forgive especially those sins which the world cannot reprove. In my youth, my middle age, and until now, how much conflict have I passed through. I have discovered that within me there is nothing besides falsehood and corruption. O Lord, only You are the Lord who knows the secrets of man’s heart. Please remember that of all the sins which I mentioned, not one of them is pleasing to me. I often grieve over them: they are deeply hated by my inner man. Now I weep sorrowfully for my corruption. I can only rest simply in Your mercy."
And we 'Christians' of the twenty-first century walk an aisle, say a prayer, are baptised, then walk right back into the world - without repentance, without change, without grief over our sins - then wonder why we have no power to overcome when the trials and testings of our faith come like roaring lions into our lives.
We have forgotten, perhaps we never knew: Salvation is a process, not a one time thing.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2
"After my previous repentance, there is again one thing which makes me sad; that is, if I most severely examine the best thing I am now doing, in it I discover sins, new sins mingled in the best thing I do. Therefore now, I cannot help but conclude that no matter how proud of myself and how idealistic I was concerning myself and my work, and even if my former living were without blemish, yet the sins that I commit in a day are enough to send me to hell. In such a deep feeling of sins, he cried out: “Unless He is such a great Savior, He surely cannot save such a great sinner as I."
or these words from John Knox as he lay upon his death bed:
"O Lord, have mercy on me, do not judge my innumerable sins; amongst them, may you forgive especially those sins which the world cannot reprove. In my youth, my middle age, and until now, how much conflict have I passed through. I have discovered that within me there is nothing besides falsehood and corruption. O Lord, only You are the Lord who knows the secrets of man’s heart. Please remember that of all the sins which I mentioned, not one of them is pleasing to me. I often grieve over them: they are deeply hated by my inner man. Now I weep sorrowfully for my corruption. I can only rest simply in Your mercy."
And we 'Christians' of the twenty-first century walk an aisle, say a prayer, are baptised, then walk right back into the world - without repentance, without change, without grief over our sins - then wonder why we have no power to overcome when the trials and testings of our faith come like roaring lions into our lives.
We have forgotten, perhaps we never knew: Salvation is a process, not a one time thing.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2
Saturday, June 11, 2011
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteausiess with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
This passage gives utterance to a Divine exhortation for those belonging to Christ to hold aloof from all intimate associations with the ungodly. It expressly forbids them entering into alliances with the unconverted. It definitely prohibits the children of God walking arm-in-arm with the world. It is an admonition applying to every phase and department of our lives-religious, domestic, social, commercial. And never, perhaps, was there a time when it more needed pressing on Christians than now. The days in which we are living are marked by the spirit of compromise. On every side we behold unholy mixtures, ungodly alliances, unequal yokes. Many professing Christians appear to be trying to see how near to the world they can walk and still go to Heaven.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together." We are fully persuaded that it is disregard of this commandment, for command it is, which is largely responsible for the low state which now obtains so generally among Christians, both individually and corporately. No wonder the spiritual pulse of many churches beats so feebly. No wonder prayer-meetings are so thinly attended; Christians who are unequally yoked have no heart for prayer. Disobedience at this point is a certain preventative to real and whole-hearted devotion to Christ. No one can be an unshackled follower of the Lord Jesus who is, in any way, "yoked" to His enemies, (the world and all it offers). He may be a truly saved person, but the testimony of his life, the witness his walk, will not honor and glorify Christ.
A Call to Separation
By A.W. Pink, March, 1928 (there is indeed nothing new under the sun).
This passage gives utterance to a Divine exhortation for those belonging to Christ to hold aloof from all intimate associations with the ungodly. It expressly forbids them entering into alliances with the unconverted. It definitely prohibits the children of God walking arm-in-arm with the world. It is an admonition applying to every phase and department of our lives-religious, domestic, social, commercial. And never, perhaps, was there a time when it more needed pressing on Christians than now. The days in which we are living are marked by the spirit of compromise. On every side we behold unholy mixtures, ungodly alliances, unequal yokes. Many professing Christians appear to be trying to see how near to the world they can walk and still go to Heaven.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together." We are fully persuaded that it is disregard of this commandment, for command it is, which is largely responsible for the low state which now obtains so generally among Christians, both individually and corporately. No wonder the spiritual pulse of many churches beats so feebly. No wonder prayer-meetings are so thinly attended; Christians who are unequally yoked have no heart for prayer. Disobedience at this point is a certain preventative to real and whole-hearted devotion to Christ. No one can be an unshackled follower of the Lord Jesus who is, in any way, "yoked" to His enemies, (the world and all it offers). He may be a truly saved person, but the testimony of his life, the witness his walk, will not honor and glorify Christ.
A Call to Separation
By A.W. Pink, March, 1928 (there is indeed nothing new under the sun).
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14
'Proud and unbroken sinners always choose the wrong road. That's why it is full of travelers. It's broad enough for everyone from out and out libertines to the strictest Pharisees. All of them like it, because no one has to bow low or leave any baggage behind in order to get on this highway. Furthermore, all the road signs promise heaven.
There is just one problem with this road, and it is a significant one -- this road does not lead to heaven but to utter destruction, outer darkness and hell.'
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:21-27
[Pg. 148, The Jesus You Can't Ignore by John MacArthur]
'Proud and unbroken sinners always choose the wrong road. That's why it is full of travelers. It's broad enough for everyone from out and out libertines to the strictest Pharisees. All of them like it, because no one has to bow low or leave any baggage behind in order to get on this highway. Furthermore, all the road signs promise heaven.
There is just one problem with this road, and it is a significant one -- this road does not lead to heaven but to utter destruction, outer darkness and hell.'
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:21-27
[Pg. 148, The Jesus You Can't Ignore by John MacArthur]
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
A friend received an email admonishing her for her lack of knowledge regarding hell. The email went on to list several books my friend should read as well as a link to a must see forty-five minute video.
As Christians, called by His Name, bought by His blood, saved by His Amazing grace - we are called to be salt and light, not torch bearers for the enemy.
"There Is No Hell" is certainly wishful thinking at its worst and most destructive. The Bible is replete with warnings about the lake of fire and who will follow the Antichrist, False Prophet along with satan and his demons.
As we stumble and grope our way through life, tilting at windmills, majoring on minors, grumbling and complaining as did the children of Israel traveling in the wilderness, we must remember:
"the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Our battle is a spiritual one and can only be won when we employ the spiritual weapons that God has put at our disposal. Indepth studies of hell produce no fruit, shine no light into the darkness, give us neither peace nor joy and offer no hope to a lost and dying world.
The enemy of God would like nothing better than that you should take your focus off Jesus and all that He has done. How does knowledge of hell edify the lost, bring sight to the blind, or hope to the hopeless?
Do not loose site of your goal Christian, Do not loose your focus.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof – but he that does the will of God abides forever."
1 John 2:15-17
As Christians, called by His Name, bought by His blood, saved by His Amazing grace - we are called to be salt and light, not torch bearers for the enemy.
"There Is No Hell" is certainly wishful thinking at its worst and most destructive. The Bible is replete with warnings about the lake of fire and who will follow the Antichrist, False Prophet along with satan and his demons.
As we stumble and grope our way through life, tilting at windmills, majoring on minors, grumbling and complaining as did the children of Israel traveling in the wilderness, we must remember:
"the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Our battle is a spiritual one and can only be won when we employ the spiritual weapons that God has put at our disposal. Indepth studies of hell produce no fruit, shine no light into the darkness, give us neither peace nor joy and offer no hope to a lost and dying world.
The enemy of God would like nothing better than that you should take your focus off Jesus and all that He has done. How does knowledge of hell edify the lost, bring sight to the blind, or hope to the hopeless?
Do not loose site of your goal Christian, Do not loose your focus.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof – but he that does the will of God abides forever."
1 John 2:15-17
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