OK! So What? We All Sin After All....

image link

The last few posts started out with my resolve that I'm not going to argue and I'm not going to seek out the wrongs and sins of false ones, but just keep my eyes on the True (Jesus alone is true and EVERY MAN -- HUMAN -- IS A LIAR Romans 3:4)

AND THEN....

I go on to speak on some of my pet peeves and a few that popped into my view right after my new resolve. I sympathize with Jeremiah in chapter 20, Jeremiah had resolved to shut up but it burned in his being to speak up....

And did my thoughts change anyone's mind? I doubt it.

A couple of years ago I had brought up to a blogger friend a particular sermon I enjoyed by John MacArthur. She replied by telling me that she did not trust JM because he has so many masonic and globalist ties and that he has sold out to these worldly things rather than being fully sold out to Jesus. I didn't believe her, well, I semi-did but I thought she was splitting hairs over nothing. We are all in this world after all, we all make compromises from time to time, don't we? I wrote her back the day before yesterday to apologize and to thank her for staying true to the truth. It took me quite a while, a couple of years, so perhaps others are seeing these things as well, and like me, will take a year...or two...or three...maybe never will see it, it is as the Lord knows will be so, it is ok. It's a lonely path and it usually loses you "friends"....but were they ever REALLY friends?

We cannot avoid compromisers or evil people, but we can avoid those who claim to be ministers of the truth and show evidence of a different kind of rotten fruit. Paul tells us:

1Corinthians 5:9-11 

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 

Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, 

or with the covetous, 

or extortioners, 

or with idolaters; 

for then must ye needs go out of the world.  

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, 

 if any man that is called a brother 

be a fornicator, or covetous, 

or an idolater,

 or a railer, 

or a drunkard,

 or an extortioner;

 with such an one no not to eat.

How much worse if anyone who calls himself a brother and a pastor and is an extortioner of souls? ...or covetous of the world's friendships and wealth and ease....

.....which would have to be sacrificed if the whole truth were to be held to and preached in full humility and full of the Holy Spirit confessing one's own shortcomings before men? Should we not avoid such men too? Well, at very least we shouldn't put them on too high a pedestal only reserve praise for Jesus, and of course we are to pray for these leaders, or so-called leaders, God can and does use anyone to bring his lost sheep to Himself, so in season or out of season, at least the gospel is being preached even if there are ulterior motives involved, God can and does still use even those for good (Romans 8:28!!!yay! Praise God!)

Force Feeding a Cat

When I was first saved (a long, long time ago) I got the notion that it was my duty to now save EVERYONE. I talk about a dream that I had way back then on this blog post (toward the bottom of the post). About that time a young man told me that it was no good that I try to be the Holy Spirit for people, that I was trying to force people to "get it" and that doing so was like trying to force feed a cat.

image link

Yeah, something like that, and I can get almost that determined too. But a kitty (even one that is a more common housecat variety) would have to be pretty near starving to death to require that kind of intervention, however, I had somehow decided people didn't realize they were headed to hell (rightly) and that spiritually speaking they truly are starving to death and that this required immediate action on my part. Yes, yes, and no.

Fast forward to today... I've accepted that your normal garden-variety hateful and hate-filled atheist is going to hell, period. Well, true that the Lord can supernaturally intervene in that person's life like He did with Saul/Paul, but anyway, I realize that for me it would be a hopeless cause. And I also understand that those who have a hunger to understand (like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts ch 8) the Lord will make sure someone will help out. But what about those who are starving, and so near dying of starvation, and who think they are "just fine"??? I surely need to give them some immediate and direct intervenous assistance to save them from what they are just too happy to suffer, and because they are mere inches from a fate worse than death down their "road of life"??? Surely God requires due diligence of me; someone who clearly sees what is going on here???

Well....again that would presuppose that the Lord doesn't have a handle on each person's individual situation, and He does, no matter how much they hate Him, or insist that they know more about Him than the average stupid Christian does, or what have you, He knows everything, He knows IT ALL! The imagery about us being His hands and His feet on earth is a nice story, and He does use us to do His will from time to time, but He doesn't always require it. Besides, the best thing we can do for others in spiritual dire straights is pray. We see Moses doing it for those wayward Israelites time and time again, some of those Israelites were beyond that "point of no return" and some learned the lesson from what they see happen to them...

Moses and Korah

Yeah, the situation with Korah got him into alot of trouble with God, for sure, and even though Moses tried to intervene, well, the rest of the people were pretty shaken up about it but I think God got through...

To summarize this: I still struggle with trying to force feed a cat, when instead I just need to stay steady on the course to finish the race the Lord set before me. If I were in a race, and I tried dragging unwilling "would-be participants" who really don't want to be in that race, dragging them kicking and screaming, is that really accomplishing ANYTHING? And yet I continually try to do just that.

Heb 12:1-3 (ESV)

Therefore, 
since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses, 
let us also lay aside every weight, 
and sin 
which clings so closely, 
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us,   
looking to Jesus, 
the founder and perfecter of our faith, 
who for the joy that was set before him 
endured the cross, 
despising the shame, 
and is seated 
at the right hand of the throne of God.   
Consider him 
who endured from sinners

such hostility

against himself, 
so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.


So true, and amen.

Should We All Evangelize?

image link

This has been a dialogue that has gone on with me to Jesus since I was saved in 1988. At first it was "no" for me, because I wasn't ready, I was too immature in the faith and I knew that I would do more damage than good...or at least that is how I felt at the time, also going by the fact that not everyone is gifted with the same spiritual gifts...not everyone is an eye, an ear, or a mouth.

So are we supposed to all evangelize for Jesus? Should we all be shouting the news from the rooftops? Shouldn't we all be uber-concerned about saving people from the fate we all deserve? Or....do we just leave it up to God? He is all powerful, after all...isn't He? If He wants to save someone, He will do it. He proved that with the Apostle Paul/Saul of Tarsus. He chooses whomsoever He wills just as He chose Jacob over Esau.......and yet...

What of Christmas?

As a teenager my father "got religion", and his religion of choice was Seventh day Adventism. We were taught that Christmas had Roman Catholic beginnings which were rooted in paganism, and for proof we were taught that the passage in Jeremiah chapter 10 referred to the Christmas tree. Perhaps, perhaps not. It may be referring to how they carved wooden statues of their "gods" and "goddesses" even then, and that they decked them with gold and silver, much like Roman Catholics adorn statues of Mary today.

Last Sunday our pastor talked about his run ins with legalism regarding the Christmas holiday and it's pagan roots, and they seemed to be similar to the kinds of difficulties I had encountered regarding "dos and don'ts" of our worldly involvements. He summed his final thoughts about the subject in a way that I find consistent with the bottom line that the Apostle Paul gives. We shouldn't use our freedom for an occasion to sin, or to trouble our weaker brothers, however, this season can bring some people who otherwise might never think about Jesus, to contemplate the amazing fact that God came to earth to be adorned in flesh, to live like us and among us, to reveal Himself to us. Pastor Clark cautioned us to not "throw out the baby (Jesus) with the bath water". Pastor Clark told us: "I have no use for Christmas trees or Santa Clause, but I love every opportunity to tell others about Jesus". Amen, pastor, amen. :)

The Idolatry of "Nice"

An alternate title might be

 "Am I a Shapeshifter?"


Shouldn't we be "nice"? What is WRONG with being "nice"? Didn't Jesus tell us to be "nice"?

Those are all good questions, and not easy ones to answer.

Are Mormons "nice"? Are Jehovah's Witnesses "nice"? What about Buddhists, and Catholics, and atheists? Aren't (most of them, anyway) they "nice"?

Let's start with

Shouldn't we be "nice"?:

Well, that depends on what is meant by "nice", doesn't it? If someone is being beaten up by a criminal, would it be "nice" to stay out of it? God will take care of it, won't He? Why should I get involved? I might get dirty or beaten up if I try to get involved. Why not leave it to God?

Does being "nice" mean "looking good to others"? ...or rather, looking good on the outside? Having a "form of godliness"? If someone tells me something that exposes a problem, should I change the outer behavior or appearance so that I can have a more "godly" appearance? Is that what it's all about? Then the Pharisees really would have been the best, and the "nicest" because they had that "godly appearance" down pat.

What's wrong with being "nice"?:

Again, that depends on what is meant when the word "nice" is used. Being polite and doing good, there is nothing wrong with that....UNLESS it is a manipulative tactic, and let's face it we are all so good at it that we can even fool ourselves. We cannot fool God into thinking we are "nice" by the "good works" that we do, because He can see underneath our outer facade. He knows the truth about how we really are.

Is that depressing?

Or does knowing the fact that Jesus is a loving and forgiving God make us joyful to know that He can see all that muck? Our outer image that we set before the world has nothing to do with the truth that God sees about us.* That* is the reason He came, was born into flesh, walked on the earth, broke bread, ate, healed the blind, the lepers and the demoniacs, and bled and died...and rose again. He didn't do it because He is "nice" or wanted us to have an appearance of "nice". He did it because He is God.

Doesn't Jesus want us to be "nice"?:

So by now, this question shouldn't be so difficult, should it? Does Jesus want us to be "nice" to others? Not if "nice" means not telling the truth because it might give an appearance of  not being "nice". Then the appearance of "nice", is that "form of godliness but denying His power" (which the Bible warns about), and God is not at all in favor of such manipulative behavior, in fact, it is a form of idolatry and self-worship. And this image of "nice" can change it's form to conform to what the world wants to see, so that to some you may have an "appearance" of not caring whether someone practices homosexual behavior, and then changes to have the "appearance" of being against it when in the company of someone who shows the deadly consequences of practicing things that should not be practiced.

We need to throw out all the false idols that keep us from accepting the truth of what Jesus REALLY said, and from fully realizing what Jesus died for and freed us from. We need to throw off the false image of "nice" and fully agree with Jesus that no one is good, only Jesus. That frees us to tell the truth to others, to tell them of sin, the consequences of sin, the eternal consequences for unrepented sin, and the truth about forgiveness, which comes from truly being honest before God and men, telling the truth about who we really are, and what we truly are without Jesus is not "nice" at all. And if we are in Christ, we aren't concerned about whether we appear "nice" to others or not. What we are concerned about is telling the truth so that others might find out the truth that will set them free. And that really IS "nice".

Witchcraft in the Church?

This is "one of those things" that you don't need to know every detail about. I personally think it is good to listen to a good presentation given by a godly pastor, to help to understand what is creeping into the church, and to be able to reach out to those caught in it's bondage.

Of course one can "just pray" for people; "the effectual prayers of a righteous man (person) availeth much" James 5:16.  

The Bible also says:
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. Jude 1:20-23


"Pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" sounds to me like a forceful action that is taken to grab people and yank them out while there is time to help them escape. I've been helped much by ministries that expose what is wrong with this world....and I understand that they only scratch the surface of what is wrong.

This video exposes the subtleties of the seductions that have entered into the church. Years ago those who claimed the name of Jesus were more discerning than to accept  this blatantly satanic stuff into their midst. The church today is not so discerning. I think it is good to get the wake up call and see just how far the apostasy has spread. This is just one litmus test. Pray before viewing, during viewing and after viewing, that it might help you to yank others from this "strange fire".

The original video I had here was removed, unfortunately. It had many clips of Ms. Rowlings saying that her books are "Christian" and "moral", and yet admitting that according to herself about 1/3 of the witchcraft in her books is accurately portrayed when compared to witchcraft the religion.  It also showed many "Christian" pastors and leaders saying there is nothing wrong with the books and films. It also made connections with some modern "Christian" beliefs and practices showing that they have much in common with witchcraft and the occult.

This one just shows the witchcraft and seduction of the Harry Potter books and films:
 

Has God Abandoned America?

According to what the Bible says, the answer is yes.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Tony Miano is a street preacher. He recently preached in England, during the tennis matches at Wimbledon. A woman decided to have Tony arrested because she didn't like what he preached, because he preached repentance.

In this video he states that people have created their own "god" by only wanting the verses in the Bible that they like, and then saying "that is the god I worship", while ignoring other parts of the Bible. He bluntly states that is idolatry, and I have to agree with him. It is idolatry, false worship. And I really have to wonder about those who claim to love Jesus, never talk about Him, cling to only a small portion of their favorite "feel good" verses, ignoring the rest and then claiming that they "love" Jesus. Really?

This video is just under 30 mins, about the same amount of time many people will waste watching their favorite sit-com. Hope you really do love Jesus enough to spend at least as much time watching this and skipping the sit-com just this once:

Street Preacher -- UK

I love how he is able (only possible by the strength and Spirit of God) to maintain his composure and can continue on speaking the truth. I would have lost my ability to keep a train of thought steady with this kind of interruption and heckling:

Kirk Cameron

I like Kirk Cameron. I think his heart is in the right place, he wants to share the truth, to tell people about sin, and Jesus, and the Bible, and etc...


and he is bold in standing up for calling sin wrong, and that God hates sin, but that God forgives


but Kirk is a human being, and his focus (I believe) is a bit off...he thinks we can turn things around:


....and indeed the Bible does say

2Ch 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.



...and the Lord saved the Ninevites when they heard the words from Jonah after all, didn't He? Yes, that is true. I don't fault Kirk for desiring that at all, but we need to beware of becoming a theocracy, like that which Constantine and Charlemagne brought about. Perhaps they too had noble things in mind when they set up enforced Christianization, and I tend to think that as a result there were people who did honestly come to Jesus during that time, perhaps even as a result of what Constantine or Charlemagne did, just as perhaps there were Jews who became saved during their tribulations by Nazis. And also we are, as Kirk mentions, at a point where the corruption of our nation may succumb (as history has shown us through this cycle showing up again and again) to a very corrupt and evil tyrant who will inflict persecution so terrible that we will wish that we could have turned it from such an outcome. True. But there will come a time where all of this will culminate into a time of trouble such as the world has never seen, and it will happen, Jesus said so. I personally think to say "Oh God forbid it! Let it not be so!!" would repeat the error of Peter when He told Jesus the same when Jesus warned them of His impending doom (Matthew 16:23)

Our focus is not this world. We are ambassadors of a world that is yet to come. Our focus is Jesus, and what He has done, and that we are not of this world, but are in this world to be that light in a dark place, Jesus said He was eventually going to destroy this one and make a new heaven and new earth because this would ALL pass away.

However, I am glad that Kirk speaks up his mind and tells the truth, albeit imperfectly (and who does it perfectly anyway? I love John MacArthur yet there are points that I disagree with him as well, but I'm glad that he preaches God's word) and all the while, we need to watch and pray, and ourselves speak when the Holy Spirit gives us the utterance, to be salt and light in a dark world, as a testimony to the truth of who we are in Christ, and do it gladly out of our thanksgiving, and do it for His sake.

John MacArthur on the Papacy

I just finished listening to this series, and, wow. I am amazed and saddened and stupified at what he brings up in this series. One thing that he brings up (in the 8th section) is the authority to open and shut (what the Romish "church" says only the pope can do) is given to all true believers. He also says that the papacy is the biggest hoax ever foisted on mankind. I think so too.

Part one:






Playlist for the entire series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpWDUt89t2g&list=PL94B12F6F42549C4C

"180"

This is an amazing film:

There are alot of elements about this film that I find very interesting.

It also had me thinking about many who believe this fleshy mortal body is so important that God thinks it needs to be kept from going through the things that the early church went through, and what the holocaust victims went through... and what millions of babies went through.

Really?

Celebrating Christmas

image link

I've been somewhat on the fence on this topic for many years...and that's because I really didn't know how I SHOULD stand on this topic. I've heard the arguments from both sides of the isle, and I find truth and error in both arguments. Those who say we shouldn't celebrate it at all make me sad...by that I mean, they seem to rigid and dogmatic to me. They remind me of Jehovah's Witnesses who say it is wrong to celebrate birthdays because the only birthday mentioned in the Bible cost John the Baptist his head. Well that IS true...but do we cut off someone's head to celebrate anyone's birthday these days? I agree that celebrating with a fictional character of Santa Claus and flying reindeer makes no sense...however, celebrating Jesus birth into the world ....(aside from the argument that His birthday PROBABLY WASN'T December 25th.....SO WHAT!???!) ....why exactly is it wrong?

So I was heartened to see that Jred spoke on this topic, and asks some very good questions:


http://www.lookupfellowship.com/2011/12/mixing-holy-with-profane-is-what.html

Excerpts:

 This year, I wondered why it is that we seem to know all the demonic, occult, pagan, Satanic things associated with this time of year as if we are experts on the subject (and all in the name of "exposing the darkness of deceit" consistent with Ephesians 5:11 and Matthew 10:16 I'm sure), but we don't seem to possess the same kind of knowledge when it comes to the holy, religious, redeeming, and spiritual aspects associated with this time of year?.....

.....There's something potentially significant that I'm wondering about. There's something pertaining to those who were alive in Jesus' time.

I imagine they had trouble (actually, we know they had trouble) accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God because of sin, yes, but also because some of them just couldn't understand why a "holy" and "sinless" God would incarnate Himself in a "fallen", "unholy", and "sinful" human body (Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 5:21). It's because sin is the reason for the season.

I bring that up because it seems to correlate quite nicely with this entire debate, doesn't it? I mean, those who oppose the celebration of Christmas will often cite all the verses from the Bible about mixing the "holy" with the "profane".

Forgive me, but isn't that what the birth of Jesus Christ is all about? Isn't the virgin birth a mixing of a holy God with an unholy human body? Isn't that the very essence of the thing we celebrate during this (or any other time of the year) as a fundamental tenet of our shared faith?

So what's the problem then? Why the constant debate? Why the protest? Why the incessant hand-wringing over the celebration of Christmas?

************************

It does seem that those who advocate not celebrating Christmas in any way whatsoever do seem to know all about the Pagan, demonic, occult, Satanic things about it, and nothing of what is:

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.

It's almost as if there is an all-pervasive need to always find the ugly about anything with some of these folks...and perhaps that is the problem Jesus saw in the Church at Ephesus:

Rev 2:2  "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
Rev 2:3  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.
Rev 2:4  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

With all the finding what is wrong with everything, do they ever mention what is good and sweet and gracious and encouraging? Perhaps they think that making everyone hate Christmas is doing good and sweet and gracious and encouraging things by making everyone aware (continuously) of every evil in the world....but then doesn't that go against Philippians 4:8 admonition to only concentrate on those things that are good and pure? Do we have to constantly find the ugly in everything and continue to purge it out with our disdain for anything that might even have a faint glimmer of possible Pagan influence in it? Or can we find that good part that might turn other people's attention back to the One who makes all things pure?

If Jesus is the reason for every season...doesn't that INCLUDE Christmas?

********************************

Edited to add:

 Jred had a couple of comments in the comment section, which he addresses, and then he has this which is about where I am with this right now too:

At the end of the day, I think this still holds true...

"To summarize briefly, I’m convinced by Scripture and conscience that Christians are not obligated to observe Christmas, and that Christians are not obligated to not observe Christmas.

Christmas observance, or non-observance, (just like the observance or non-observance of any other day) plainly falls into the Biblical category of a matter of indifference and liberty (Romans 14-15; Col 2:16-23).

 

My point in publishing this material isn’t to advocate for, or against, the observance of Christmas (or any other day), but rather to make the case that

a.) such things are matters of liberty and conscience in the light of Scripture

b.) many of the popular myths surrounding the origins of Christmas, even within the church, are often dubious, and sometimes misleading/false and 

c.) many of the most strident objections to the observance of Christmas if applied equally and consistently can have far reaching [and quite probably un-Biblical, legalistic] implications in actual practice."

Some of you will maintain that 'Christmas' IS ugly and evil. I get where you’re coming from. There are many points where I actually agree with you. Really, I do.

In the spirit of Romans 14, I’m okay with that though. I would never dream of trying to convince YOU that YOU should celebrate something that YOU don’t believe YOU should.

I’m just wondering where the line is drawn between 'celebration' and 'worship' because that’s what I think this all comes down to. Maybe that would’ve been a better angle for me to have approached this study from this year.

What does the Bible call the Gospel?

I understand that we don't want to get into arguments, and we need to present the truth "in love". So why did the people of Paul's time kill people like Stephen, Peter, Paul, John the Apostle, John the Baptist, etc, etc, etc? Jesus said if we stand for the truth and proclaim it, the world will hate us....why? And if the world doesn't hate us, does that mean we are not actually proclaiming the gospel?
I understand that the Lord's sheep will come to Him, does that let us off the hook from proclaiming the truth which the world hates to hear about? Paul named names of those who didn't preach the truth, are we somehow better than he is if we don't argue?

Just some things to wrestle in the spirit about.

smilie link