The American Church has lost its way and it needs to repent and return to its original calling, which is not to build big edifices, big organizations, or big ministries. The church is not to be a 'big business'. Jesus said His house would be a 'house of prayer' - one that hears from God and talks to God and does God's will on the earth. In other words, the church is made up of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and operate with His direction.
This creates a problem for most denominational and organizational leaders because, they will not be in control - the Holy Spirit will be the One controlling. After all, there may not be a pastoral message one Sunday or worst of all, they may not take an offering that Sunday. They may have communion instead. They may have a worship session that is not directed by the the worship leader but by the Holy Spirit with His gifts displayed. After all, Scripture instructs "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine (a teaching), hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." - 1 Cor. 14:26. This sure doesn't sound like the typical American church of performers and spectators. Most church services are more like attending a concert than like Paul's description.
The church is also to be light and salt to the world but it cannot be either without a firm commitment to the truth of God's Word - all of it. Not just those truths that we like or make us feel good but, all God's truth. Before the Hebrew Priests could enter the Holy Place, they had to look into the Laver where the water acted like a mirror showing them every unclean spot. Then the same water was used to cleanse them making them fit to go into God's presence. This is a picture of the way God's Word is to us today, but if it isn't applied in totality, we are not going to be prepared to be cleansed in repentance so we can go into God's presence. No sinner (one who is actively sinning) should be comfortable in church until they have repented. Yet the churches are filled every Sunday with people living in adultery, divorce, lying and stealing, gossips, lacking in prayer, unfilled with the Holy Spirit, etc.. Evangelism was never meant for the Church but for the world but, today the American Church has invited to world into the church and they need an evangelist to reach them.
The American Church, every branch of it, seems to have lost its way. They need prophets instead of pastors. Men that will point out the sin in the church and call for turning back to God in repentance. They need to hear the truth that church is not a compartment in their life co-equal with compartments such as work, politics, entertainment, and family. They are the church and they are to be the church in every compartment of their lives! How you vote is as important as how you worship and how you live in your family as important as how you act in church.
Only the truth will set you free and God's Word is truth.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Analysis of the World Today
Newspaper columnist Charlie Reese wrote, "It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted - by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people." Of course, he is referring to the House of Representatives, Senate, and Supreme Court.
I understand it because we have received a "strong delusion" from God as was promised in 2 Thessalonian 2:10, 11. We have forgotten what President Ulysses S. Grant said, "Hold fast to the Bible. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future." Our leaders have forgotten that our first allegiance is to the God of the Bible as they bow to the gods of political correctness, money, and power. Thus we have leaders that squander our freedom and prosperity by giving in to Middle east threats, by accommodating despotic nations such as Russia and China, and by actively supporting the United Nations under the guise of claiming to seek peace while in reality they actively work against God and His Anointed.
We give millions in so-called aid to Middle eastern nations and groups who hate the principles of freedom we believe in and work against us whenever they can. We send our young men and women to protect them militarily only to have them told they cannot carry their Bibles visibly in public. If we had not forsaken God's word, we would know that there will never be peace in the Middle east, or any where else, until the Jews call on Jesus. Only then will He return and bring peace as Zechariah 12:10 states, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn."
Revelation 12 an analysis of the conclusion of this age. Jesus comes the first time and is caught up into heaven. Israel is dispersed into all the nations where Satan tries to destroy them - Satan fails. (It must be comforting to all those nations who have persecuted the Jews to know they were doing the devil's work for him.) Israel comes back to the Land again only to be attacked in a final attempt to destroy them by Antichrist. When that fails, he will turn his hatred towards the Christians who hold the testimony of Jesus. But, that time is cut short by the return of Jesus to rescue His own and to punish the wicked.
Nations are choosing sides right now and most choose against God. The only issue that remains to be settled is whose side you will choose to be on.
I understand it because we have received a "strong delusion" from God as was promised in 2 Thessalonian 2:10, 11. We have forgotten what President Ulysses S. Grant said, "Hold fast to the Bible. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future." Our leaders have forgotten that our first allegiance is to the God of the Bible as they bow to the gods of political correctness, money, and power. Thus we have leaders that squander our freedom and prosperity by giving in to Middle east threats, by accommodating despotic nations such as Russia and China, and by actively supporting the United Nations under the guise of claiming to seek peace while in reality they actively work against God and His Anointed.
We give millions in so-called aid to Middle eastern nations and groups who hate the principles of freedom we believe in and work against us whenever they can. We send our young men and women to protect them militarily only to have them told they cannot carry their Bibles visibly in public. If we had not forsaken God's word, we would know that there will never be peace in the Middle east, or any where else, until the Jews call on Jesus. Only then will He return and bring peace as Zechariah 12:10 states, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn."
Revelation 12 an analysis of the conclusion of this age. Jesus comes the first time and is caught up into heaven. Israel is dispersed into all the nations where Satan tries to destroy them - Satan fails. (It must be comforting to all those nations who have persecuted the Jews to know they were doing the devil's work for him.) Israel comes back to the Land again only to be attacked in a final attempt to destroy them by Antichrist. When that fails, he will turn his hatred towards the Christians who hold the testimony of Jesus. But, that time is cut short by the return of Jesus to rescue His own and to punish the wicked.
Nations are choosing sides right now and most choose against God. The only issue that remains to be settled is whose side you will choose to be on.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
The word for 'foundations' is "shathah" and is often translated as 'purpose'. When David wrote this Psalm, he was not worried that the foundations of his faith were being destroyed but, rather that he might lose his sense of purpose. David was worried that he was becoming demoralized by the wicked desires and evil ambitions of those around him. Why should we try to maintain high standards of doctrinal integrity and moral purity when the people around us, even many Christians, seem to be occupied mostly with materialistic ambition and pursuit of pleasure? If we allow the devil to undermine the very purposes God has for our lives, wandering away from His will in favor of some temporal interest, then why even continue with a pretense of Christian living?
David was confronted with sin on every side, even his own son was after him and his friends were advising him to flee. As Rev. Joe Morecraft commented, "They were sort-sighted, cowardly and despondent regarding their dangerous situation. They were not malicious enemies; they were cowardly friends, whose perspective was one of unbelief. Cowardice is always dangerous and deadly; and any advice to desert a post of duty is unwise and wicked."
Jesus told a parable about foundations in Luke 6:47-49. "Whoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like the man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."
So, what should the righteous do when our foundations are being destroyed? The answer is - REBUILD THE FOUNDATION! Start by living by the truth and by preaching the truth, no matter who it offends. The only way to rebuild our foundation is to obey God's word. If we do, we win! After all God says, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11).
Attacks against the Church and the word of God have been cascading since the 90's and worse, there has been no great outcry from Christians or their leaders. Their silence has been shameful! Much of the Church today is building earthly foundations and will not be able to withstand the coming storms. Scripture says a day will come when God will shake everything that can be shaken and only that which cannot be shaken will remain. What is it that cannot be shaken? That which is founded on God's word.
Those who have a Christianity of convenience, that's one where you choose to obey those commands that please you and overlook those that don't, will never have a foundation that withstands the coming shaking.
AS we started this message the question was asked, "What can the righteous do?" The answer is we can start rebuilding the foundation. We can judge ourselves and our country by God's standards and then we can repent where we fall short and begin doing what God says to do and stop doing what he says not to do. As Jesus taught, the one who will ahve a strong foundation is the one who "heareth my sayings, and doeth them".
David was confronted with sin on every side, even his own son was after him and his friends were advising him to flee. As Rev. Joe Morecraft commented, "They were sort-sighted, cowardly and despondent regarding their dangerous situation. They were not malicious enemies; they were cowardly friends, whose perspective was one of unbelief. Cowardice is always dangerous and deadly; and any advice to desert a post of duty is unwise and wicked."
Jesus told a parable about foundations in Luke 6:47-49. "Whoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like the man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."
So, what should the righteous do when our foundations are being destroyed? The answer is - REBUILD THE FOUNDATION! Start by living by the truth and by preaching the truth, no matter who it offends. The only way to rebuild our foundation is to obey God's word. If we do, we win! After all God says, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11).
Attacks against the Church and the word of God have been cascading since the 90's and worse, there has been no great outcry from Christians or their leaders. Their silence has been shameful! Much of the Church today is building earthly foundations and will not be able to withstand the coming storms. Scripture says a day will come when God will shake everything that can be shaken and only that which cannot be shaken will remain. What is it that cannot be shaken? That which is founded on God's word.
Those who have a Christianity of convenience, that's one where you choose to obey those commands that please you and overlook those that don't, will never have a foundation that withstands the coming shaking.
AS we started this message the question was asked, "What can the righteous do?" The answer is we can start rebuilding the foundation. We can judge ourselves and our country by God's standards and then we can repent where we fall short and begin doing what God says to do and stop doing what he says not to do. As Jesus taught, the one who will ahve a strong foundation is the one who "heareth my sayings, and doeth them".
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