Repentance

Have you noticed that not many pastors preach on the topic of repentance anymore? Repentance has gone out of fashion, true humility is out and pride is in. Did God approve of that idea?

Luke 3:2-9 ... the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.  And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;   As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.  Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?   Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (ESV)


Acts 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (ESV)


Luke 15:4-10  "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.  "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

We've all heard or read the parable of the prodigal son. The son foolishly squandered everything his father gave to him, until realizing his foolishness, turned back to his father in humble submission asking for forgiveness, and everything was restored to him. But what about the other son, the one that "didn't need" repentance? He always remained with the father, did what he was told to do, was possibly happy that his good for nothing loser brother was gone and now all attention could go to himself. He got angry when his brother returned, rather than rejoice with his father. Let's take a look:

Luke 15:28-32  But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

Pride is a terrible thing, hatred and anger is at the root of it, and Jesus said he who is angry with his brother is guilty of murder. Does that not require repentance? Does that not call for humility before a holy God who can cast people into outer darkness (no vision) and fire (feelings of torment) forever? None of us are perfect, we must all approach the Lord in humility asking forgiveness for the things we have done, for the sorrow we have caused him and our fellow men. 

Have you repented of your sins before the feet of Jesus? 

The Sons of Belial

1Samuel 2:12  Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

I ran across this in my daily reading and had to take a closer look...

H1100

בְּלִיַּעַל
belı̂ya‛al
bel-e-yah'-al
From H1097 and H3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extension destruction, wickedness (often in connection with H376, H802, H1121, etc.): - Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked.
Total KJV occurrences: 27

This is talking about the sons of Eli, the high priest. In our day we may liken the situation to a very prominent pastor having good for nothing PK's (preacher's kids). They took care of sacrificing animals for Israelites coming to the tabernacle and taking these sacrifices they ignored the proper way to perform what was necessary to intercede on behalf of the people before the Almighty God. This was very serious.

In the recent past few days I've been in conversations with people in cyberspace about television evangelists, people who earn megadollars to finance yachts and mansions and ugly wigs through peddling their false feelings of misdirected hope through a false message and by performing faked healings. Some of the cyberspace people are indignant of these atrocities, and some say "They are still God's children. Do not judge them." And there are untold millions who get even more turned off to the real truth about Jesus because these have put a smear on His name.

Eli loved his sons. He overindulged them and didn't correct them when they went wrong.

At this time the light of God was withdrawing from His people, and Eli was getting very old, he was beginning to lose his eyesight:

 1Sa 3:2  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
1Sa 3:3  And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

 Then God called out to Samuel who was still a youth at the time. I've always seen "little Samuel" portrayed as a little boy barely out of the toddler stage, but he may have been about 12 years of age, time of Bar Mitzvah is 13, so his being a 12 year old boy at this time would not be unrealistic.

 1Sa 3:11  And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
1Sa 3:12  In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
1Sa 3:13  For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
1Sa 3:14  And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.


Eli was very aware of his sons transgressions. Eli was very old so we aren't talking about teenaged sons. We are talking about grown men who should have known better by now. Eli never corrected nor restrained his sons from doing evil. What Eli's sons did regarding the false sacrificial practices was so evil that God said Eli's house would NEVER be purged of it's evil.

By today's standards (from what I've been hearing from many who call themselves Christians and say "Do not judge") this father Eli was right, and God was very unkind and in fact too harsh and hateful.

We are on the threshold of being judged by a holy and just God. Many will see His hand as it causes many to wail....and yet the Bible tells us they still won't repent and think they themselves are more holy and righteous than God Himself. We will see the final outcome of that, just as we see the outcome of what happened to Eli and his worthless sons. 

The Fool Says in His Heart....

 image link

 Today my mind kept thinking on this Bible verse:

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:14  (ESV)

I'm guilty of sometimes (often?) going round and round and round in an argument I cannot win. I still am infected with the idea that if I can find the correct words to say I can convince others of the truth, and can save them from their foolishness and their ultimate self-destruction. My husband chides me about it. He often says to me "A stupid person doesn't know he is stupid". He's great about coming up with such witticisms. He's right you know. How often have I done really foolish things without realizing just how foolish it is? I don't want to answer that question on the grounds it will definitely incriminate me. And then I find a wonderful quote like the one above (which reminds me of the P.T. Barnum quote: "There's a sucker born every minute")...and realize just how easily people will believe a lie, any lie, over the truth.

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. 
Psalm 14:1 (ESV)

and

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
 Proverbs 26:12 (ESV)

Ok, that one pinches a little...


A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
Proverbs 29:12 (ESV)

OUCH!

Thankfully the Lord is patient, and LONGsuffering, and my trust is in Him to teach me His ways. Woe is me if I trust only in my own wisdom to carry me through. I have had much experience in viewing my life in hindsight and in that rearview mirror I can see that the Lord has been patient and gracious with me for a very long time.... even when I was VERY foolish.

 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 
Psalm 146:2 (ESV)

Amen, thanks be to God who is merciful and forgiving forever!

Saved? or Self Deceived?

In this 2 part sermon, John MacArthur pours out his heart to exposit on the passage:

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.   And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:   And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.   And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine
Matthew 7:22-28 (KJV)

Pastor MacArthur explains what he sees as marks of a true believer, and the evidences that expose those who may be false and self deceived "followers" of Christ.

False "believers":

1. Want signs and healings
2. Want gimmicks
3. Want to feel good
4. Want to receive blessings
5. Or they may be religionists. Many "Christians" that aren't are simply trying to work their way there by doing all the moral and religious works they believe will make them good enough...

True believers:

1. Want only Jesus
2. Are penitent and truly sorry for their sins

He says much more, take a listen...the good medicine convicts and brings you truly to the throne of forgiveness and God's grace:

Phil Johnson Interview

In this radio interview on Pirate Christian Radio, Phil Johnson dissects and explains what is missing in Rick Warren's message in his (Warren's) interview with John Piper. It is pointed out that John Piper often assists Warren with what Warren believes in Piper's attempts to reconcile Rick Warren's message with what the Bible actually teaches. Also understood from this interview critique is Warren's superficial treatment of the Bible compared to Piper's deeper understanding and conviction. It is a matter of quantity vs. quality (as also pointed out by Pastor Johnson). Warren says he wants to reach the many with the gospel, but then when talking with his audiences he neglects to present the gospel and often doesn't ever mention the name of Jesus (especially to his Jewish and Muslim audiences). He (Warren) jokes about his superficial understanding towards the end of this analysis. I personally believe pastors like Warren (and I use the term pastor very loosely in the case of Rick Warren) cause many to think and believe they are saved when actually they are not...some of his listeners might be saved but it isn't because they were convicted of the truth because of what Mr. Warren teaches. God will prick the hearts of His own through the power of His word, not the inconsistent and superficial ramblings of someone like Mr. Warren.

 I listened to this while doing housework, and got a lot done during this time (two and a half hours). It is time well spent.

Let me also say (maybe I should amend my commenting instructions) that if you comment without listening to this presentation I won't answer the comment. If the comment is completely irrelevant to what this post and conversation in the Youtube video is about I may choose to not post your comment. Thank you for your understanding in this matter and I hope and pray that many might be blessed by this interesting critique of how God's word is being presented.

The Cure for the S.I.N. Virus

John MacArthur says most Christians know what salvation means however their understanding does not give them the ability to share this knowledge in a way that helps others to understand it. He addresses this shortcoming in this sermon, and helps us understand how to share the message of reconciliation with others.

What is the Gospel?: The Ministry of Reconciliation

In this message he clears up the problems MANY have in sharing the gospel. He points out that many Christian leaders/pastors are confused about this and disagree on what the gospel is and how it needs to be shared. There is only ONE truth, ONE way, so WHO HAS IT if there are so many who claim to have it and they all disagree?

Good questions, questions that atheists use against us time and again...and in part they are right. They are wrong in where they go with it, but they are right that divisions in the body of Christ are not of Christ. I'm not an ecumenicalist...I don't think the answer is that we all become one in a pseudo-religion that encompasses all beliefs and "loves" everyone (false because these people..many of them...hate people that go to the Bible for all the answers).

I like where John MacArthur takes this problem: to the Bible, and to Jesus and God the Father who reveals to us His will, only one way, through His word.

He sums up the problems of where we go wrong in this way:
man's religions: are sinners devising ways to reconcile themselves to God,
or God's way: God determining His way of reconciling sinners to Himself.
Our way or His way.

Great sermon!

False Religions and Doctrines of Demons

In a discussion on another blog there was the idea that gnosticism might be more correct than the Bible. I haven't really done much posting on false religions and false doctrines by defining each specifically, just defining them in general terms:

the truth of the Bible

vs.

every heresy and false religion in this world
(including some which have a christian-like appearance)

I like bottomlines, gets right to the point. Why bother with a million and one details, just get to the point! I hate beating around that and every other bush, and trying to soft-pedal and sugar-coat things as: this one is kinda bad, but not as bad as that one, but let me tell you about the one I like the best....who cares!???! If it isn't right with what the Bible says, it isn't right....PERIOD END OF SENTENCE....and if you don't agree with that, we have nothing more to discuss, do we?

However, for the sake of examining what is "out there" I shall go into some of these false areas, explore a bit for the sake of pointing out why it is deadly, not to "find some glimmer of other "truth" amongst the trash heaps" of false ideologies.

I will get to the problems with gnosticism, but first, again will go to that bottomline issue of what goes against the Bible being false, let God alone be true and EVERY MAN... (who doesn't agree with what God says, indeed everyone who is not indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God)... is a liar.

I'll begin with a couple of clips by pastors who touch on the fact that every religion is false if it doesn't line up with the Bible essentials of what the Bible says about who Jesus is and what it means to be saved:

I really found this first one the most helpful, Tim Conway explains what defines a false religion (focusing here mostly on Mormonism and Catholicism, but also acknowledging that every false religion in this world attacks the foundational principles of what the Bible actually says, and each false system is the great whore spoken of in the book Revelation) and then says why a person who is in a false religion needs to remove him or herself from it:

This second one is by Paul Washer, it's a shorter video, he also states that any religion that is unbiblical is false, and the importance of leaving false systems especially if you have a family...some may think that remaining there might be good for continuing to witness for the truth, and MAYBE that is possible, maybe the Lord desires for you to be a missionary to them, but Paul doesn't recommend it:

Why Hell?

This pastor talks about it in the context of what the Bible says, he uses the Bible alone to seek the truth about this place, not emotion, not how we want to see it, etc. He is about as close as I've come to completely agreeing with someone because he agrees with God's word, and doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable to please people, to make it easier...he tells the hard facts, what we are without Christ is hopeless, even if we "reject the idea"...if you reject it, you do so to your own peril and destruction. Is that a threat? No. It's the truth, simple as that, and MANY will reject it.

Perilous Times

Anyone following what I've been posting on lately knows that I've been binging out on some great Voddie Baucham sermons. His series on the book of Revelation is excellent. This one talks about the church compromising with the world. Surely the Lord will be gentle and merciful with our weaknesses in this matter, won't He? He is loving and forgiving and He loves sinners. Yes...however....God is righteous, and requires repentance in His forgiving. That is the part everyone wants to sweep under the rug these days.

Tolerating the Intolerable by Voddie Baucham 

Judgment is coming, where do you stand before a holy God?

What is Sanctification?

Justification and sanctification are terms that get tossed about when discussing salvation. What are they? Are they different terms that describe the same thing? If not, how are they different?

Let's look at their definitions:

Justification

1.a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that justifies or defends: His insulting you was ample justification for you to leave the party.

2.an act of justifying: The painter's justification of his failure to finish on time didn't impress me.

3.the state of being justified.

4.Also called justification by faith. Theology . the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin (legal position of being set free of the legal obligation of debts).

Sanctification 

actually the word being defined is "sanctify":

1.to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.

2.to purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts.

3.to impart religious sanction to; render legitimate or binding: to sanctify a vow.

4.to entitle to reverence or respect.

5.to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing.

>>>>*<<<<

So from this definition for the word "sanctify" we can establish that sanctification is a process of becoming sanctified (purified, made holy, set apart). 

Still continuing on my Voddie Baucham binge, I happened across this wonderful sermon on the topic of sanctification. I tried to find it all in one piece, but could only find it given in three parts:

 

Sermon Audio also provides many of Voddie's sermons online in the audio format only. Enjoy!

Dr. Alan Cairns

Dr. Cairns gave this message in 2006 shortly before retiring from preaching. You can hear and feel with him the heaviness in his heart for America, for how far she has fallen from grace. You can hear and feel the heaviness in his heart that he bears for the individuals who boldly and brazenly reject the offer that God makes to fallen man through His beloved son Jesus. The prayer he prays at the end is so solemn and so penetrating, so humbling and yet so powerful. God help us, America is so filled up to the brim with her sins that like Dr. Cairns woefully admits, her sins today make the sins of yesterday look so innocent and so minor...although all sin is horrible. The sodomites and the abortioners (child murderers) can't get enough of their murderous and adulterous ways. They lust for more and more blood and filth and horror. God help us, we are on the brink of destruction (parts 1-5):

Neglecting So Great a Salvation

I've heard many objections to the reality of hell. Here are a few:

1. God cannot be a good God and send people to hell

2. It is only for the angels who sinned not for people

3. It is not a literal place, it is only symbolic, people will just disappear and the eternal aspect of it is they will be eternally nothing, their suffering and gnashing will be an eternal fact of the past, but will forever attest to their once having been, and forever having disappeared.

4. Hell only means "grave". It is from a word that translates to mean "the grave". If you believe Jesus, and truly take to heart what Jesus says about hell, you would know that it does mean that the person has died and their mortal body has gone to the grave...but it goes further, there is an immortal portion that goes deeper and further and lower than simply a hole in the ground.

Jesus said none of those things. The Bible reveals that it is a place, a real place, and that there will be angels who get sent there, but that there will also be people that will get sent there...and Jesus said MANY will go there, that few will go the narrow road that leads to eternal life and many will go the wide path to eternal destruction.....

Questions and Answers

Continuing with my Voddie Baucham binge I came upon this sermon and I am in awe of how much the Lord has blessed me through this sermon...even though the message is the same one (God never changes) Voddie is so gifted in breaking open the Truth of God's word to the understanding afresh.

In this sermon he asks life's 4 basic questions, and then answers these questions with "the world view" and then answers them with what the Bible says. Amazing grace, ever more and more amazing.

Are Enablers Nice?

First off, I want to admit right off the bat that left to myself, I am one, an enabler that is. I want people to like me, and want to agree with all sorts of error and sin if it gets their saying: "Susan is such a nice person"... and would be lying if I didn't confess that straight away.

However, the Holy Spirit just won't let me off the hook that easily, and when I do this candy coated evil, I feel very uncomfortable. He won't allow me this hypocrisy for long before I have to confess my error, my sin, my thin veneer of "nice" over a dark icky glob of ENABLER TO WICKEDNESS, ugh!

Rom 1:20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Rom 1:21  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Rom 1:22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.


Notice the regression:
1. they knew God
2. they did not honor Him as God
3. they became futile in their thinking
4. their foolish hearts were darkened
5. they claimed to be wise
6. they became fools
7. they exchanged the glory of immortal God for something that is more similar to mortal man; judging God by mortal and fleshy standards.

which then leads to a whole bunch of other errors, which in our crafty sinful flesh can be covered up with all kinds of "nice"...but the Lord is not fooled...and then not only do they harbor all kinds of covered up ugliness, but the Lord says:

Rom 1:32  Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. 

Wow, there it is. Enablers. Not very pretty at all, is it? If we encourage sin, we are complicit in sin. If we say there is no sin in homosexual behavior, we are complicit in homosexual behavior. If we say there is no sin in abortion, we are complicit in murder. And there is no sin that is not forgiveable...except one, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, in which the truth of sinfulness is revealed, and known, but they would rather cling to the flesh and love fallen sinfulness and decaying wretchedness more than the truth of what God says about it, and encourage those who likewise love sin more than truth. Forgiving: yes....Enabling (encouraging, saying wrongly that it isn't sin, therefore needs no forgiveness): no

Are you an enabler? Do you want to confess the horribleness of it and come clean about it before Christ? He is all-forgiving of the worst sins if we truly humble ourselves before Him with all of our wretched behaviors and mindsets, and confess that He alone is Holy, Gracious, and True, and able to make us partakers of His good qualities through His Holy Spirit,
only by the cross,
the crucifying of our flesh with Him,
by Him and through Him,
His power,
His glory,
His forgiveness,
His goodness,
forever, and forever,
Amen.

Sinner's Prayer

Have you seen or read articles which discuss the problems with alter calls and the sinner's prayer? The problems which they cite state, in essence, that it causes a person to believe that it is in their own power to be saved by doing the things and saying the words that will bring about their salvation. As a consequence they believe they have become saved ....and perhaps they are---or perhaps they are not. The "magic" (because truly this is the same as magical thinking) isn't in the saying of words, or the coming forward when told to do so, or by raising of the hand, or what-have-you, to signify to the pastor in charge that you want and need Jesus. The grace of God comes on His terms at the time He chooses, not on our timetable or our terms. He saves us because we do not earn it in any way, not even our asking "earns" this for us. He saves us even while we were His enemies. How is that possible??? Because God is God. That answer may seem too simplistic, and perhaps it is. Have you ever said to your son or daughter "Because I'm your mommy (or daddy), that's why!". Sometimes nothing else needs to be said. End of story. God is good because He is...and He does what He does because He is good, not because we did something that caused Him to act. If anything at all, He put the desire in our heart, and then He drew us to Himself by supplying us with our desiring Him, because it all came from Him. But then why doesn't He do that for everyone? Because then it wouldn't be grace, it would instead be universalism, and universalism is unbiblical. God's grace extends to all, but not all are saved. It's simple, and yet it's complicated...and a sinner's prayer doesn't solve our sin problem, Jesus does.

There it is.

 People put faith in a prayer, or in their faith, or in their works.... in ANYTHING BUT JESUS.

It is Jesus who saves, not ourselves with our wishing and praying. When He has mercy on us, He saves us by His power, not the power of our prayers. The power is of Christ not of ourselves. Too many are putting their faith in the wrong thing (self/works/formulas), but the Holy Spirit will come upon His own in power and reveal His glory, the glory to save even one such as I.

But I'm a Good Person

"The depravity of man at once the most empirically verifiable reality but the most intellectually resisted fact."  --Malcom Muggeridge (and retweeted by DebbieLynne)

I saw this retweeted by DebbieLynne this morning and it reminded me of the book by Mr Muggeridge. I write about that aspect on my other blog. 

Yesterday my husband and I got to visit with Kent Clark in Pontiac, Michigan. We were hesitant to go because the snow was coming down pretty thick and it was foggy to boot. I'm glad we decided it was worth the effort, because it truly was worth that. The topic of man's depravity is Pastor Clark's favorite and most oft revisited, or so it seems. Yesterday was no different in that respect. He again talked about exactly what that means, and how that fact showcases God's grace towards us. He said that the ones least likely to truly understand this fact are the most religious amongst us. They still think that they aren't as bad as so and so, but the fact is they are JUST AS BAD. He reminded us that God can see everything we think we keep hidden from prying eyes, all the dirty thoughts, the pridefulness, the arrogance, the "little white lies", the anger and hatred which are equal to murder (Jesus said that in Matthew ch 5), the ways we fool ourselves into thinking we are better than others (see Luke ch 18) when truly we are even worse than others if we view ourselves like that.

This is Pastor Kent about what is happening in Pontiac, Michigan:



And this is from CH Spurgeon about man's depravity and our inability to come to Him without His drawing us to Himself:

Guard Your Heart

 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.   But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13  (ESV)

Hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. The worst sin is pride. It caused satan to think he was superior to God Himself, and cause others to come with him and join him in his falling from grace.

If a person is truly saved, changed from the inside, born again, it is impossible for such a one to lose their salvation (Jesus said so)...and some may lose their way temporarily, but will return to Him because He draws His own to Himself (John 6:44) however there are those who have an "appearance of godliness", they appear "good" but it isn't the goodness that comes from God because they deny His power, and we are to turn away from those.

2Ti 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2Ti 3:2  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
2Ti 3:4  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
2Ti 3:5  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2Ti 3:6  For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
2Ti 3:7  always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

However there are warnings in the Bible. There are things to avoid, just as we would avoid anything icky and disgusting and horrid. In the Old Testament there were rules for how to deal with lepers. They had their own area that they had to be in so the healthy would not be in contact with them. They had to remain "outside the camp" until they were deemed cleansed.

I have been reading the Old Testament beginning from the beginning. I'm now in the book of Numbers. There is a scene in the text where Aaron and Miriam stand against Moses, and God punishes Miriam (I wonder why not Aaron? oh well) with leprosy. Moses pleads for Miriam but God says she has to endure the disease for 7 days after-which she

God Doesn't Make Junk Part 3

On thinking on this topic this scripture passage came to mind today:

Romans 9:21-24  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?   What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,   in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory-- even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (ESV)

Contrasts are everywhere. When I see someone who is very sick I am more thankful of my health. When I see someone living in squalor I am grateful for my home with all of it's conveniences. The fact of the one highlights the blessing of the other. The fact that there are vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (which we all are prior to conversion) accentuates the blessedness of being saved from it. If there wasn't the one (hell), there is no need for the other (salvation).

Prior to being saved I had asked a pastor why God would even create a hell, a devil, and people who will be destined to go to hell. He was unable to answer this to my satisfaction. When God confronted me on my relationship to Him, my rebellion, the truth about me, the me I kept stashed away in the deepest darkest recesses of my being, that is when I recognized the truth of what the Bible was saying about my fallen condition. At that time,

The Message that We Preach

Each of us that has a blog is preaching a message whether we realize it or not. Is the message that we send out glorifying God and bringing honor to His name, or is it defiling it and casting doubt on His word and His goodness?

Unintentionally we all from time to time send out an errant message that detracts from what God says, I am just as guilty as anyone because none of us are perfect after all. The Bible does make clear, however, that there will be deceivers among us,

"God Doesn't Make Junk" Part One

This is a quote I've heard often...and it is true, yet and however, the Bible does tell us that the good that God created had a potential for becoming bad, and as we can see, it did.

The things of this world, including you and I, are decaying and dying. Yet God made a way to infuse us with His Spirit, but it is done under His conditions, and He causes the healthy changes, not our will...not our religion, not our goodness...His power, His will and done His way.

I've done quite a few posts on the topic of falling away on my other blog I wanted to have this blog to focus more on the Bible, mostly on refreshing and uplifting topics...