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My thoughts on different parts of the Bible, I shoot straight by the Good Book. |
| This is a collection of my thoughts on various parts of the Bible. I stick to what the Bible says, but my thoughts are just that, my thoughts. You may not agree, you may be offended. I'm here if you want to talk. |
| I have been doing some thinking lately, and I find myself doing that a lot these days. There's a lot to think about too if you really care about people. We have the worst scourge of terrorism that we have ever had in the middle east. We have ebola running rampant in Africa. We have people starving all over the world. We have lone wolf terrorists here in America, and a president who is unwilling to call them what they are. We have a president who has lied, and continues to lie to the American people every time he opens his mouth. Our president changed the Constitution of the United States of America to make The Affordable Care Act which is better known as ObamaCare legal. The only way the Constitution can be legally changed is if the Senate does the changing.Our president sends financial aid to terrorists over seas while our veterans here in America suffer. Obama happily shakes hands with the Palestinian leader who harbors terrorists, while making the leader of our Greatest ally in the middle east use the back door of the White House as if he is not worthy of being seen with the POTUS. Richard Nixon was impeached for much less than Obama has done, yet he is still in office. All of that is bad enough, but there is something else that really has my attention these days. I have never seen such an onslaught of attacks on Christianity, and the Bible as I have seen in the last few years. The cross has come under attack at every turn. A cross that stood at a focal point in one city came under attack, and the sad thing is, it was there in honor of veterans. The Ten Commandments are under attack also. If they hang on the hallowed walls of our courthouses, people fight to have them taken down. And now, the worst thing I've ever seen is the attack on churches and pastors in our country. The mayor of Houston Texas is a full fledged lesbian and makes no bones about it. She has even subpoenaed the sermons from pastors all over Houston. She was told she better change it so she changed it to speeches. They consider every speech a pastor makes to be a sermon, so that is what they are after sermons, and any communications of any kind that they have spoken against homosexuality in. I am not a pastor, but I am a minister so you know where I'm going with this. As if I'm not in enough trouble for speaking out against Obama and our renegade government controlled by the extreme liberal Democrats, I am getting ready to delve deeper into trouble on this point. I am going to use one scripture, and one scripture only to clarify what I am talking about. It comes from the Old Testament, and it has to do with Sodom and Gomorrah. These two towns were destroyed by fire. That was God's judgment on them. Why were they destroyed? There depravity was homosexuality. Two angels sent from God to protect Lot and his family by getting them out of the town safely. The angels came into Lot's house for the night and this verse tells us what happened next Genesis 19:4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out that we may know them." Many people try to argue that these two cities never really existed, that this is merely a Bible fairy tale. Archeology begs to differ. Archeologists have found the two cities, and they have found that they were indeed destroyed by fire. Furthermore, not far from the sites is a pillar of salt that has been found. They say you can brake a piece of the salt off, and it will over time grow back. The Bible tells us Lot's wife was turned to a pillar of salt for looking back to Sodom after she was told not to. Coincidence? Maybe, but there is no proof that it is. That argument out of the way leaves the other argument many people use. "When the Bible says they wanted to know the two men in that verse, it simply means they wanted to meet them. That would be false. To understand that verse you have to know the Hebrew language in which this was written. In the Hebrew, the verb Know is used in the manner of a man coming to know his wife sexually. In this verse it is used to show the men of this town wanted to know these men in a homosexual way. Further evidence of this fact is that in the next verse Lot offered them his two virgin daughters to have their way with. They refused, desiring the men/angels instead. I could have used other scriptures to prove that homosexuality is a sin in God's eyes, but I chose that one. I hear your argument now. But those scriptures are always in the old testament, it's not the same for today. Or "My God is a God of love and He would never sentence anybody to hell." Be assured, your God doesn't exist. Besides that, a person sentences his/herself to hell by not repenting of their sin, and living as God desires them to live. By the way, I could have used a verse from Revelation to prove my point. That's the last book of the Bible, and the New Testament. What the mayor is doing by demanding the sermons and correspondences of the pastors is wrong, morally, and legally. She is trying to silence the pastors on the subject of homosexuality. Another way of looking at it is this; she is trying to legislate what pastors can and cannot preach from the pulpit. Out in the mid west a pastor has been arrested for preaching against homosexuality. A pastor who speaks against Obama or the government can be labled as a terrorist. I started this blog with a rant against Obama, and the government. I could be jailed as a terrorist. I am speaking out against homosexuality so I open myself up to scrutiny, and possible arrest. I believe homosexuality is a sin, and if I preach a sermon that covers the topic, I will not back down. What homosexuals do is take that as an attack on them. I do not preach against homosexuals. If they choose the life style they will have to answer to God, not to me. I preach against the act of homosexual sex which God says is sin. North Carolina just legalized gay marriage. If I am asked to officiate a gay or lesbian marriage I will refuse. By doing so, I risk losing my minister's license. I ask you, is it right to try to close the mouth of the minister simply because he preaches against your life style? Is it right to force a minister to act against his morals and his beliefs when he is acting in accordance with God's Word? Stripping our licenses will not silence us, putting us in jail will not accomplish what you desire of it, and trying to force us into something that is alright according to man's law, but against God's law will not work. Just because you believe something is, doesn't make it right. The government cannot legislate what is sin, and what is not sin, only God can do that. If you are upset about what a preacher preaches, or by what I have said here, these aren't my words, they are God's. I will take no offense if you get upset at my thoughts, after all; you aren't really upset at me, you are upset at God. Are these things right? What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** "Poetry is the silver lining behind life's angry clouds."...Rob2457 |
| Wow, have I heard this statement coming from a lot of people as of late. When I say a lot of people, I mean people who go to church once in a while, and people who have never darkened the door step of a church. "But why can't I understand the parables?" I will give you an answer. It's one that some may not believe, it's one that some may look at and say so what, but it is supported by the Bible, God's Holy, Inspired, Inerrant Word to mankind. You can not understand the parables, the teachings of Jesus, unless you are a blood bought, born again believer in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. What good is the Bible then you might ask; It is good because it reveals the love of God, and the truth of how we are to live life are found in John 3:16-21. "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. 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. 20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they were wrought in God." For a person to understand the teachings of Jesus, he/she must be a born again believer in Jesus Christ. Being born again doesn't mean just lip service though, as we see in this passage. It means a total turning from the life that we live before coming to a saving knowledge of Christ, to living..."doing the truth." What is truth? The Bible says: "God's word is truth." So, we must turn from a life of sin, to a life of right living according to God's word. The phrase I placed emphasis on: "because their deeds were evil" speaks about every person who walks the face of the earth unless they have made that commitment to Christ. It doesn't mean you have gone out and murdered or raped, but it means that we are born under the curse of sin thanks to Adam and Eve, and because we are born in sin we are evil, "sinful" in nature. That doesn't mean we don't know how to do good, it just means the sin curse has not been broken from your life. Now to show you that you must be a Christian to understand the teachings of Jesus in the parables. The answer is in the following passage In Matthew 13:10-15. I will quote verses 10, 11, and 15 here because they bare out the emphasis of the passage. "10. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." When Jesus spoke these words to the disciples, he spoke to those who were chosen. people whom he had called out of the world, and into the light. They are the ones who are to understand the teachings of Jesus, the parables, and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. They were chosen by Jesus, but they only fit the group of the chosen because they answered his call. Who are the chosen in our time? Those who have heard and answered the call of God. 1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:" Who is Jesus calling today? He is calling all men/women. That means me, you, and anyone else who will listen. John 12:46 "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Did you notice that word "whosoever," that means anyone who will. Anyone who hears the call of God, feels the weight of guilt and shame for their sin nature, and comes to Jesus for forgiveness, anyone. Matthew 13:15 "FOR THIS PEOPLE'S HEART IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES HAVE THEY CLOSED; LEST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM." Some say Jesus has blinded people to the gospel so that they can't be saved because God doesn't intend for everyone to be saved. For that to be true you have to ignore the rest of the Bible. Men's eyes are blinded because of the sin nature, men's hearts are hardened because of the sin nature, means ears are closed because of the sin nature. The longer one goes without the cure, salvation through the shed blood of Jesus, the more there eyes are blinded, their ears are dulled, and their hearts are hardened. Don't let that become you. HEED GOD'S CALL TODAY. |
| I was at a meeting on Bible Prophecy last week and a question came up about I Corinthians 3:15. When read by itself, it can be made to mean just about anything except what it really means. When read in context, it is easily understood. A persons works will not get them into heaven, the Bible makes that very clear. A person, a believer "will" on the other hand be rewarded for their good works if they are done out of a heart of love for God. I have done a study on the passage for the person who asked the question, I will share that study with you now. Study of I Corinthians 3:15 Back up to verses 11-12 The foundation of Christianity has been laid by the Master Builder Jesus Christ. We as laborers with Christ must build on that foundation according to the Master Builders specifications. We build in one of two ways. God's Way Man's Way God's way is to build on the foundation already laid with gold, silver, and precious stones. The "gold, silver, and precious stones" being spoken of here are "building according to God's word." God's Word Says to: Love your neighbor Love your enemies Live God's word Put God first in everything you do Worship Pray Witness Man's way of building is to build on the foundation with wood, hay, and stubble. Aren't we always trying to take the cheap way out, "or use short cuts?" Man's Way is: Love yourself Teach false doctrine, Live false doctrine Do God's work with selfish motive Have wrong conduct toward others Envy...Bigotry Strife...personal ambitions first Divisions...Love of praise Pride of denomination Pride of talents Love of authority...being in positions of Cross References Ecclesiastes 12:14 "For God shall bring every good work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. II Corinthians 5:9-10 "Wherefore we labor, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Revelation 20:11-15 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Philippians 4:1 "Therefore my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy, and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." Our fruitful witness Produces a crown (reward) Also notice: I Thessalonians 2:19-20 "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy." II Timothy 4:7-8 "For I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. I Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Galations 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Romans 14:13-14 "Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know an am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean." In I Corinthians 3:15 we know the text is speaking about the believer because even though the persons works are burned by the purifying fire of God's righteousness, the person is saved. If we take this verse and couple it with the scriptures it can be linked to including all of Romans 14 we see that there will be people in eternity with us that we would say will never make it into God's kingdom, that's by looking through human eyes. That's why God says judge not lest ye be judged with the same severity. (Matthew 7:1-2) God also tells us in Romans 14 that we are not to judge others, and we are not to put a stumbling block in front of them by our actions. Since God is speaking to the believer in Romans 14 and I Corinthians 3:15 we can be assured that the believer's works will be judged as well as the believer him/herself being judged. The believer will be raised to life everlasting regardless of their works. They receive life everlasting based on their belief in, and acceptance of what Christ did for them at Calvary. Their atonement is through the appropriation of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The believer's works have no bearing on their eternal life. The believer will be rewarded according to their "good" works. There is a list of 20 things the believer is to do, or not to do as the case may be in Romans 14 alone. If the believer does those works they have been told to do out of a heart of love and worship for God, their works will survive the purifying fire of God's righteousness and they will be rewarded for them. If those works are done for selfish motives and a self serving attitude, the "look what I've done for God" attitude, they have already received their reward...the praises of men and their works will be destroyed by the purifying fire. Those works will not be rewarded by God, but because the person doing them was a believer they will receive eternal life. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Life is a poem waiting to happen. Start writing. |
| Grams, You asked me a very good question a few weeks ago; I want to answer that question now. That question is: “Why do people take one or two verses out of the Bible that support their beliefs, and use them to pound away at others to prove their view if Christianity is correct, and then exclude the rest of the scriptures that speak on the subject because they go against their beliefs?” There may be many reasons that people do what you are asking about, brow beat other people with their own beliefs. The number one reason that people do this is that they “fear” the consequences of being wrong. They go about their lives with their own beliefs about God, and about the Bible. Many people ”believe” they know what the Bible says even though they’ve never read a complete chapter in the Bible, much less the whole book. They walk around with their heads held high, all the while asking themselves. “What if I’m wrong? What if my beliefs aren’t 100% correct, is God going to punish me?” They would rather settle far into their own beliefs, and push those beliefs on others, than to think for one moment they could be mistaken. To accept the idea that someone else could be right, would mean that they themselves could be wrong and headed straight to hell. They never take into consideration that God isn’t sitting there on His throne taking down error in doctrine notes. Yes, we should be firm in our beliefs, but we should know whether or not our beliefs are based on the Bible, or simply on our beliefs about the Bible. What I mean is this; are you sure you’ve been taught the Bible? This statement is going to get me in a lot of trouble, but that’s OK. I’ve been in trouble for standing firm on the Bible before. Catholics, unless they are in a reformed Catholic Church, are being taught wrong. Many things they practice are a sin in the eyes of God. They don’t know this because they believe the Pope is God’s only mouthpiece. They also believe their priest is their mediator between them and God. These are just two of the terrible fallacies in the Catholic Church, I could go on. That’s not to say that other denominations are any better. If you read my blog, you see that I play no favorites when it comes to denominations. We should also understand that God is able to cause us to abide by His word, His doctrine, if we are willing to listen to that still small voice that speaks to us about our actions and attitudes. When you are first saved, you become a new creature in Christ, God then begins to instill in you His ideas of right and wrong. Even though you don't "know" the Bible as a new Christian, God has a way of letting you know you have erred. I'm sure all of us who have surrendered our lives to Christ at some time remember those guilt feelings that we use to get when we did something wrong after we became a Christian. That was God saying, "Hey, that was a no-no. We would stop and say forgive me God, I sinned, help me not to do it again. When we quit listening that closely, we begin to allow sin to live in our lives again. The point is, If we'll listen, God will get our attention and lead us in "His" doctrine, not man's. To really answer the question, we have to look at two passages of scripture. Isaiah 28:7-14 “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way, The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Whom shall he teach Knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and are drawn from the breasts. For precept shall be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to his people To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken, Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.” Also See: Revelation 17:1-2 “ And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” There are a few things in these passages that are very important if we are to understand why this phenomenon of brow beating with doctrine takes place. The first thing I want us to look at is in Isaiah. Did you notice who is taught doctrine? God’s word tells us that it is the people who no longer need the milk of the word. Who needs the milk of the word? New Christians, “babes in Christ need the milk of God’s word..” Just who are babes in Christ? Have you surrendered your life to God, asked Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life but don’t go to church? Don’t read the Bible? Been a Christian for 10 years but still rely on the preacher to talk to God for you? Then you are a babe in Christ. You can understand nothing more than the milk, the very basics of God’s word. Try as you may, you cannot understand the very heart of doctrine. The next thing I want you to look at is also in Isaiah. We are told that the priests and the prophets have erred through wine, through strong drink, and no longer see clearly, they are out of the way, their judgment has been destroyed. God isn’t talking about the people who go to church and sit in the pews in this passage, He is talking about the man who stands behind the pulpit and is suppose to deliver a sermon every time the church doors open. Answer me one question if you can. If the ministers are going in the wrong direction, are in error in their judgment, no longer can see the truth of God’s doctrine, who is there that can teach doctrine to the church? You have to read, and know the Bible for yourself to know whether your pastor/evangelist/teacher is teaching or preaching according to the Bible. Notice that God’s word speaks of the wine/strong drink in both Isaiah and Revelation. Just so you know, the prophecy here in Isaiah was a dual prophecy, it was for their time, and for our time. One more thing about the wine or strong drink being mentioned. The Bible wasn’t actually talking about wine/strong drink. The Bible was speaking of the priests and prophets being led astray by the pleasures of the world. The pleasures of the world can become intoxicating to anyone, that’s why we are told to be diligent in our relationship with God. Go back to Isaiah for a moment and read the eighth verse slowly, and carefully. “For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” The tables aren’t really tables that are set with real food as in edible for the physical man. These tables are full of what the preacher feeds to God’s sheep, the church. Spiritual food, the sermons, the Sunday School Lessons, the Wednesday night prayer service talks, any doctrine the preacher teaches is suspect. The Bible says there is no place clean. If you are being fed contaminated spiritual food, doctrine and other sermons, how can you then be convinced that you know God’s doctrine, and that your version of doctrine is better than someone else’s? You can’t! God’s word gives us one thing that we can definitely learn from. His doctrine is: “For precept shall be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:”Notice, Isaiah repeated this line a couple of verses later. God thought it important enough for us to know that He had it written twice in a matter of 48 words. What is God saying here? Simply this: You can’t take one sentence out of a verse or passage of scripture to set up as doctrine. Everything within a passage must be used for doctrine to be true to God’s word. Anyone can take a sentence from a paragraph, a verse, a chapter, or a book and make it sound like it says what they say it means. If you take every bit of scripture surrounding a doctrine, and then that doctrine holds up in meaning, you have true doctrine, if it does not, you need to adjust the meaning of your doctrine to line up with all of the scripture pertaining to that doctrine. That’s the long and the short of it. True doctrine isn’t taken from the Bible in bits and pieces, yes, the word says here a little, there a little, that’s because you must search the Bible for anything it contains about a subject, before setting up doctrine based on fluff, or… only what you want it based on. I am sorry this is so long, and that I got so detailed, and that I stepped on toes, but if you think I’m wrong, prove it through God’s word, not through man’s. In the end, I think you’ll see it God’s way. Until next time, God Bless. |
| I’m going to talk about something now that is probably going to be very controversial at first sight. If so, please get your Bible out and read the scriptures as you read what I have written, and read the cross references as well. I don’t mean to be controversial, or confrontational, but some parts of God’s word just seem to be that way for some people. I was talking via e-mail to Grams. Grams means the world to me. She has seen her share of trouble, visited her share of churches, visited her share of denominations, and probably knows nearly every doctrine there is to hear. That tends to be true as we age in our Christian walk. Grams asked me a question though that got me to thinking. It is a question that people need to hear the truth about, and a question that refired my engines. That question is: “Why do people take one or two verses out of the Bible that support their beliefs, and use them to pound away at others to prove their view if Christianity is correct, and then exclude the rest of the scriptures that speak on the subject because they go against their beliefs?” Grams, that is a very good question, and it is one I will address in a couple of weeks. It brought to mind one of those doctrines that really needs to be addressed at this time. I touched on it in my last article, but I have to go deeper into this false doctrine now. That doctrine is: “Once saved, always saved. Nothing you can do will get you into heaven; nothing you can do after you are saved can keep you out of heaven.” Baptists will be ready to stone me for this article, and Pentecostals will cheer me, but I am taking neither side in this article. I am on God’s side and His side only. His doctrine is my doctrine, not mans, and it is His doctrine that I will promote. I can not and will not promote the “once saved always saved” doctrine because of all of God’s word, not just a few select verses. I know the arguments for the doctrine. Romans 8:35-3 ”Nothing shall separate us from the love of God….” John 6:37 He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”…and there are several others. That’s it, I asked God to forgive me of my sins, I believe Jesus died for me on the cross, He said it was all I had to do; believe on Him. I’m a Christian now and nothing can ever change that, nothing can keep me from going to heaven. The Baptist Organization actually believes this to be true. They believe you can sin and go to heaven. How many people are going to hell because of this doctrine? Why? Because they “choose” to ignore other scriptures that would prove them to be wrong. The aforementioned scriptures prove their point of view so they exclude any others on the subject. My Bible tells me that “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” in Hebrews 13:8. If that is the case, what of those other scriptures, aren’t all scriptures still true? Yes they are, so let’s look at a couple of very important scriptures, and let’s revisit the two previously mentioned scriptures they use. Jeremiah 2:19 “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and they backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah is admonishing Judah for the sin of its people. What was that sin? They had backslidden. Backsliding means to turn away from God after your conversion, or after you become a Christian. To further prove that this was their sin, look at the word “forsaken,” It means to walk away from, or better yet to have deserted God. Think about it, an Army deserter runs away from the Army, and the Army is no longer part of their life. It’s the same with someone who backslides/forsakes/deserts God. He is no longer part of their life. God will never force a person to be a Christian. He gives us our own free will, lets us decide whether or not we will serve Him, and He lives with our choice. He will continue to draw us to Him, but He will never force us to serve Him. Jeremiah, speaking for God went on to say that forsaking God was what? An “evil” thing, and a righteous God can not allow evil into His presence. Here I think we should revisit John 6:37. The Baptist use this verse to say that Jesus will never leave you, never turn you away no matter what. This is very true. Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you, and He won’t turn you away. But I want you to notice what that verse didn’t say as well. The verse didn’t say you couldn’t turn Him away. I have news for you. If you become a Christian, then turn your back on God and revert to a life of sin, you will not enter heaven, the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:27a “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth…” Sin defiles the spotless garment of salvation, sin is an abomination to God, sin cannot enter into His presence. Does that make God’s word a lie? Of course not. If you turn your back on God after becoming a Christian, that is your choice, not God’s. You will have to spend eternity with that choice. God won’t force you not to, and He will not keep you from doing so. Now for a few more verses of importance, once you become a Christian, you can not sit on the pew service after service and do nothing more. Being a Christian is an interactive condition. Jude: 20-23 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. A life of Christianity is a life of constant action, and interaction with people and with God, a condition of being busy for God. Look at these words: building, praying, keep, looking, have, making, save, pulling, and hating. Which one of these words does not require either an action for God, or an interaction with God, or with people? Not one of them. All of them are marching orders for the Christian. Not once did the Bible say I want you to do this, it said “DO THIS.” No, your deeds, and your actions can’t save you, but they prove you to be a Christian, and they prove that you take your relationship with God seriously. No more arm chair quarterbacking allowed, and no more excuses. More to come next week, unless God speaks sooner. Praise God for His word, and for His blessings. Blessings to you. Brother, Rob |
Jesus Jesus sweet lover of my soul, on Calv'ry paid my toll. His selfless sacrifice for me has bought my pardon, set me free. He died and then He rose again, no sin can He condone, His blood for sin atones. Salvation free He'll give to thee. ©1/20/08 Robert G. Dyson After much prayer, and some time with my Bible, I can give you an answer. When I say an answer, I mean “the” answer, because there is only one answer to your question. “How can you stay positive in such a negative world as what we live in?” That’s a powerful question, and it’s one I hear more and more with each passing day. Your question has only one answer, but it must be broken down into two facets. The answer to your question is…by having a life that is built up and grounded in Jesus Christ. To look at the things that are going on in our world today and try to stay positive is impossible. Wars, threats of war, rumors of war everywhere you turn, murder and rape are at an all time high for violent crimes committed, sexual molestation of children, sexual exploitation of children, robberies, destruction of property, alcoholism, drug abuse and drug addiction everywhere you turn, priests abusing children, pastors caught in affairs with parishioners, gambling addiction tearing families apart, infidelity tearing families apart, sexual diseases on the rise including AIDS and HIV, avian flu, the world’s food supply dwindling, starvation rampant around the world including children starving right here on the streets of America, child abuse, water shortage around the world, fuel shortage around the world, economies faltering in every country, and seemingly every man for himself. What in the world could you possibly find to be positive about? To look through natural eyes, there is absolutely nothing to be confident about, and nothing to be positive about, but if you are a born again, blood bought Christian, you have every reason to be positive. The first reason is that this world and its present ills is not our home. The second is that all of the wrong going on in the world is predicted in the Bible, and is a sign that Jesus is about to return for the church. A new day truly is about to dawn. Let’s look at some scripture. Philippians 3:18-21 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things even to Himself. Since our citizenship is in heaven, the things that are going on here on earth are going to affect us only for a short amount of time. The Christian has better things to look forward to, while the sinner does not. The way to remain positive with so much negative in the world is first and foremost, to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, live your life the way the Bible tells you to live it, and remember; this world is not your home, it is merely a training grounds. You say, but Brother Bob, I see so many Christians who are losing confidence, and are no longer positive and happy. If being a Christian is the answer, why is that happening? Before I go into that answer, let me remind you that many who claim to be Christians are really false converts. They come to an altar on Sunday morning because they feel guilty, say a prayer, and they are then branded a Christian for the rest of their life. Nothing can separate them from the love of God according to the Bible, once saved, always saved, and they go on living their lives the way they want to and call themselves Christians. That’s not what the Bible means when it says nothing can separate you from the love of God. I assure you, if you become a Christian, and then turn your back on God and His ways, He will try to get you to come back to Him, but He will not force you to do so. I promise you this Christian, should you turn your back on God, and go back to living according to the ways of the world and the desires of your heart, you will remember the love of God even as you spend eternity in hell. Now for the true Christian, yes, it’s easy to look around and see what is taking place, and have your confidence shaken, but I assure you, the Christian can remain positive if they do what God tells them to do. Let’s look at one more passage of scripture. Philippians 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. It is the Christian who is being told to pray, and to meditate on “good” things. This is the way a Christian can remain positive, even when it seems there is nothing good left in this world. The sinner can’t think about good things. Why? Because every thought in their heart and mind is only evil toward God according to the Bible. Something that is consumed with evil cannot think good thoughts, cannot find anything positive to dwell on. If you are a Christian, and you are having trouble remaining positive, it is here that I must implore you to take inventory of your spiritual life. Are you a Christian in word only, or are you also a Christian in deed? Do you obey God faithfully, or only when obedience to God serves a purpose for you? Do you study your Bible daily, do you pray often, and keep a prayer in your heart at all times? Have you ever led another person to salvation in Christ? No? Then you can’t honestly call yourself a Christian now can you? After all, in the Bible we are told to be fishers of men, to be soul winners, and we are told that you will know a branch by the fruit that it bears. Borne any fruit lately? Check to make sure you are still grafted into the vine if not. Abide by God’s word faithfully, and think on the things God says to think on, and it’s hard not to remain positive, otherwise; all is futility. In His service, Bro. Rob |
| If you look at the title of this article and say to yourself this is definitely not a Christmas story, you would be right; and, you would be wrong. This is exactly what it appears to be, a wake up call, a warning, an answer, and the reason for that very first Christmas. Have you watched the news lately, I mean really watched the news? Have you noticed what is happening to the economy, how much trouble America’s biggest businesses are in financially, how many jobs have now been outsourced, how there are more people now who can’t afford to live than there are who can, how more and more of America’s businesses and land are being sold to people from foreign countries, how freakish the weather has become all around the world, and finally; how many of our rights have been, and continue to be taken away from us? What is happening in our world was prophesied over 2000 years ago. It is written in a Best Seller that happens to be the least read book in the world, the Holy Bible. The Bible continues to be the best seller year after year. People seemingly have to have a Bible in their homes. Once they have a Bible in their home it goes on a shelf and collects dust. It’s almost as if people believe having a Bible in their home gives them some type of protection against bad or evil. The Bible is not a Talisman or a good luck charm to be placed on a shelf, or left in a safe place, it is an instruction book, and like all instruction books, it has to be read to be of any value. Whether or not people choose to believe this, the fact is, the United States Government is broke. The feds manipulate the interest rate to try to keep things from collapsing, but all they are doing is placing a bandage on a fissure in our government’s finances that refuses to be healed. The financing that the President receives to fund the war is no more than the treasury printing more money. The more money we have in print, the less your dollar bill is worth. The dollar cannot stretch any more than it has without being destroyed. The economic downturn that is looming on the horizon will be horrendous. The Bible says: 1. Ezekiel 7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity. Ezekiel 7:18-20 (in Context) Ezekiel 7 (Whole Chapter) That prophecy was made for a time in the very near future. Every prophecy in the Bible has come true with the exception of those concerning the very soon coming of Jesus Christ as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Those too will soon come to pass. Have you noticed how much less your dollar buys today compared to last year? How about compared to two years ago, or five years ago even? Have you noticed the rise in the price of electricity, or fuel oil, or natural gas? Have you noticed the shortage on gas? You would have to be dead not to wouldn’t you? So you can readily see, there will be a time very soon that money will mean absolutely nothing. Take a look at today’s food supply. How many tons of beef have you seen recalled lately because of e. coli? How much fish have we seen recalled due to levels of mercury above what the FDA says is safe? How many other food recalls have we watched take food from the shelves of our grocery stores? This is also a prophecy that was made over 2000 years ago. The Bible says 1. Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Matthew 24:6-8 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter) Do You see that word famine in that verse? All of the food recalls are just the beginning of the problem. Have you noticed the drought that a large part of the United States is in at the present time? Have you noticed the water supply drying up in Georgia, and in parts of Tennesee and North Carolina? Have you noticed the water shortages in Africa, and the food shortages there? It is all tied together in the prophecy. According to Jack Van Impe, a well known Bible scholar and evangelist, if you have a roof over your head, you are richer than 75% of the world’s population. That is a sad but true commentary on the state of things in our world today. I could go on and on about many aspects of prophecy that are being fulfilled, or are in the makings but I won’t. I do want to talk to you about our rights though. How many of your rights have been taken away in recent years? How many of your rights have been infringed upon by our government? The bad part about it is, we keep allowing it to happen, and it’s not going to stop. The worst part of it is the discrimination against churches and church workers, i.e. pastors, deacons, Sunday School teachers and Children’s Church Workers. There is a law in congress now that if passed, will prohibit a pastor from speaking out against homosexuality or lesbianism from the pulpit. Look as hard as you want, you won’t find it unless you know where to look. The bill is attached to another bill as a rider. Which bill is it attached to? It is attached to the bill to get more money to fund the war. If the president passes the bill to get more money to fund the war, pastors will no longer be able to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ without fear of being sent to prison, and/or fined a large amount of money. The people responsible for drafting this bill attached it to the bill for money for the war because they hope it will be passed without question by our president. Like the situation we are in or not, this is not the way congress should be doing business. If you want to get churches closed down, or pastor’s mouths shut, do it honestly. Since when did speaking the truth become such a problem in America, especially if it is spoken in love? God tells us to love everyone. I can honestly say that I do love everyone. I wish everyone was a Christian. I wish everyone could see for themselves that the Bible is an inspired book. I wish everyone could come to know the love of Jesus in their lives. I don’t want to see anyone die and face the wrath of God, but the Bible tells us that people will absolutely refuse to acknowledge God even when they know for a fact that God is the only answer. That brings me to my last point. Christmas! What is it all about? What was the reason for that first Christmas? Was it just so we could say something happened? No! The reason for that first Christmas was so that you and I could have a way to be with a righteous, holy, loving God. Jesus Christ, the baby born so long ago in a food trough in a stable came so we could have life everlasting. He came so that we could be free from sin’s heavy bondage. He came to die. As you celebrate this Christmas, no, not holiday season, Christmas, remember what it is really all about. Look around you, watch what is going on in our world, and prove me wrong. Merry Christmas, and may God richly bless you and yours as we celebrate Jesus coming the first time to a manger, and await Him coming as King of Kings. Brother Bob |
| Why do we have Halloween anyway? When did the celebration begin, and where was it first celebrated? Is it a good holiday, or a bad holiday? Can Christians celebrate Halloween in good conscience, or should they shun the holiday altogether? The truth of the matter is: Halloween is celebrated because America is a land of many people, and of many cultures. Halloween pre dates Christianity, and was celebrated in different ways wherever you found the celebration being carried out. Halloween is a multi-faceted holiday, and in order to understand it, we must break it down, and define each aspect. What surfaces as the foundation for Halloween may surprise you, it may even shock you. The first thing we must understand about this holiday is the very definition of the word Halloween. In order to do so, we will need to break it down into Hallow, and een. The first part of the word, “Hallow,” means holy, to be revered, to be set apart for worship. The last half of the word, “een,” would be better written as e’en. It literally stands for evening, or the evening of, or; the evening before. Now we must come to understand the significance of November 1st. When people first began to live in villages, their lives were lived in accordance with two seasons, one of which began on May 1st, and the other which began on November 1st. May 1st was the start of the growing season, and it was the day that cattle were released from the barns to graze in the fields. May 1st is known as Beltane, and was a time for celebration of life. November 1st was the time when the cattle were brought back in from the fields, and the crops and plants began to die. November 1st is known as Samhain, or Sow(rhyming with cow) win. If the names sound funny, it’s because they are Celtic in origin. The holiday has its roots in Scotland, and Ireland. This time of the year, November 1st in particular, was a time to celebrate and honor Anwinn, the Lord of the Dead. It was believed that the spirits of those who had died during the year, returned to their homes that night. The reason they did this was because they needed help from their kin folk in crossing over from this world, to the spirit world. The people who were left in this world would hollow out turnips, and gourds. They would use these to carry the spirits of their dead loved ones to where they needed to be to cross over. Along with the spirits of family members who had died, it was believed that evil spirits, witches, and goblins also roamed the earth at this time. To protect the spirits of their deed loved ones from these evil spirits, they would paint scary faces on the turnips and gourds. In order to protect themselves, and to hide their own identity from these evil spirits, they would also paint their own faces. At this time, the holiday was not yet known as Halloween. What we have done so far is simply give you a brief look at the origin of the Day of the Dead. Another thing that supposedly happened at this time was that Faeries were allowed to roam the earth. They would go door to door begging for food. If they were given gifts, they would bring good fortune to that home, if they were not given anything, they would supposedly bring mischief to that home. This is where we get our modern day Trick or Treating from. About 43A.D. Rome defeated the Celts in a battle over religious matters, and control of Europe. About 500 years later, the Catholic Church banned the pagan celebrations, and made a new celebration of All Saints Day, a day to honor all saints. This is when October 31st became known as Halloween Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Whether or not a person decides to celebrate this holiday ultimately is their decision. I can tell you from the Scriptures what God’s answer would be. God would say a definite; No! I will back this statement up with the use of 4 scriptures, and the test of individual scriptures is whether or not they hold their meaning when used in context. These do! 2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” First of all, God tells us to be separate. We are to turn our backs on, and not participate in things that are questionable. If it is something that has no good in it, and nothing virtuous about it, it is questionable according to the Bible. Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” In looking at the above list, ask yourself how many of them fit a celebration honoring the dead. The answer of course, is none! If there is nothing good in it, we are to stay away from it, which our next scripture will prove. 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22 gives the Christian a list to live by. Here is a paraphrase. If you’re a Christian: 1. Don’t seek revenge on against those who do you wrong. 2. Seek good for yourself, and for everyone else. 3. Rejoice in every situation, and at all times. 4. Keep a prayer in your heart at all times. 5. Give thanks to God in any situation that comes your way. 6. Allow the Holy Spirit to control you, and work through your life. 7. Don’t despise, hate, or ignore direct revelation from God, or those who speak it. 8. Test everything against the scriptures. If it is good according to the scriptures, it is good for your life. 9. Do not take part in anything that is evil, or that even appears to be evil. If it looks wrong, it is wrong. God says we are to stay away from anything, note (all), that appears, not everything that is, but everything that appears to be evil. When we celebrate Halloween, it appears we are for honoring, (worshiping) the dead, whether that is our intent or not. Many times, the only Christian witness we have with other people is through our actions. We cannot physically speak to everyone who crosses our path, but we can show Christ in our actions, and through the choices we make about what we will participate in. I will finish by saying this: No one can be your judge except for one. He is the Supreme Judge, God Himself. It doesn’t even matter what I, or anyone else thinks, but it does matter what He thinks. How can you know what He thinks? By reading His word. Last, but not least, I will leave you with one more of His thoughts. Let every man “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”… Philippians 2:12. The only way to do this is by using the scriptures, all of the scriptures as our guide for living. The directions are God’s, the choice is yours. |
| After I placed the poem "Lead Me on to Heaven in my portfolio I was asked a question, one which I feel compelled to answer here. I will direct the person who asked the question to this entry, but maybe it will answer the same question for some of you. At this point, I will quote the section of the poem in question, and the statement from the person. "But if you aren't a Christian then there's punishment to reap, a lake of fire and torment where you'll suffer, scream, and weep. I always wondered why we need to threaten with these types of words. It sounds awfully human-like to me. The 'love me or die' mentality that we call domestic violence. Only my thoughts, not a suggestion of change." I have always been one to emphasize the loving nature of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and of Father God. That is what He wants us to call Him. God says we are to come to Him saying Abba Father which would be tantamount to crawling up on His lap and saying: "Daddy, I need to talk to you." That is a God who loves His children. When I write Christian poems, I do so from inspiration. I have never sat down with the intentions of writing a Christian poem, or a Christian song. I will never do so if I have anything to say about it. The reason I say this is: that I cannot put into words what God can, and I can't write it the way He wants it written. If it is inspired, I simply let it flow through me and onto the paper. God chose to have these words in this poem, not I. But I can answer your question as to why we must use this type of admonition when we witness to people. The answer is in Jude:21-23 "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." God's word says to "pull some out of the fire" and on others have compassion. How do we pull some out of the fire? By using the words that God himself uses in describing what will be the plight of the sinner who is unprepared for eternity. There is a punishment for those who die, unsaved, separated from God. Do we not tell them about that punishment? God forbid! I would rather tell them about what they will face, and have them angry at me than to have their blood on my hands when I stand before God's throne on judgment day. To do this would be to sentence myself to the same fate as the sinner. Are you prepared to accept that fate? I should hope not. Why? Because God's word says so! And remember this also, God's word says "All scripture is good for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" When God says "all scripture" does He not mean "all scripture," or should we cut those hell fire and brimstone scriptures from the Bible to pretty it up? That's another entry though isn't it? |
| I am taking this opportunity to write for a few minutes about today's church. I'm not going to say anything about one denomination, or one church's doctrine, or one church's structure, just about the church in general. In days past, and I should probably say many days, the church lived, and acted in the power of the Almighty God. God's power is seriously lacking in today's church. It's almost as if "Christians are walking around in a zombie like state, saying: "I believe the Bible, I know God is all powerful, I know God is a righteous God and a person has to live a holy life in God's power in order to be accepted by God, I know a person has to repent of their sins to become a Christian, I know...I know...I know...," and then living as if God doesn't really exist. It is no wonder that the average person on the street has a hard time believing we are telling the truth when we say God loves them, and that they can trust the Bible as God's infallible word. In days past, many churches believed that God can heal. The Bible says: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: James 5:14. Most churches don't keep anointing oil on the pulpit now. Many probably do not know what a bottle of anointing oil looks like, and I have not seen one person in the last few years who asked the elders of the church to anoint them, and pray the prayer of faith over them. Now a days, if there isn't a doctor somewhere close, there seems to be no hope in sight. In the past, most of the older folk in the church, the 40 and up group that is, could walk around quoting scripture from nightfall to sunrise. I don't know any who could do so now, most could not quote 20 verses if you asked them to. What's wrong with that you say? The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." That word study includes reading the Bible, and memorizing scripture. We are to let the word of God dwell in us. How can God's word dwell in us without first becoming alive in us, and how can it become alive in us if we do not know His word? This brings me to my main point about the church today. With all of the missing aspects of what the church use to be, there is still an aspect of the church that gives me hope for a future church that may resemble the church of old. That aspect is the youth involved in the churches. By youth, I mean young teenagers and under. I have been a minister, and an evangelist with several churches., and I have taught the Senior Adult Sunday School Class in every church I have been affiliated with so I know something of what I am speaking about. I now teach the 1st and 2nd grade Sparks Class in our church AWANA Group. What I am seeing has absolutely amazed me to this point. The group, (approximately 25 kids) is learning Bible verses, and learning the deeper things in God's word as well. We have question an answer sessions every so often to see how much they are retaining, and the answer is everything. They say this time period we are in is in serious trouble where the church is concerned. The reason for this assumption is the appalling amount of teen-agers we have in the church today. If things continue as is, they say there may not be a church of tomorrow, but I beg to differ. Our kids are beginning to show me the church of tomorrow, because they are doing the things of the church of yesteryear. |
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