The Enduring Word.

The Grass withers, and the flower falls off

but the Word of the Lord abides forever
1 Peter 1:24-25 NASB

Holding a Form Of Godliness.

     We read in 2 Timothy 3:2-5, of a worldly, selfish professed Church. Paul describes them as lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, no self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure instead of God. They hold to a FORM of godliness but deny it's power.
     Look around! The "Christian television" is filled with ministries and churches that fit into this category. Professed believers are living the above lifestyles with little or no shame. Ministers are coming into homes (2 Timothy 3:6) via the media further enslaving individuals already captivated by sin. The modern "gospel" seems to be all about us. God lives to make us happy. The absolutes are blurred, in fact they are swiftly passing away. If it feels good, if it works for you, do it! God lives to see you happy! It is your pleasure He desires. 
     This is an abomination! Millions are rushing to hell as smooth preachers encourage them on. Paul says to have nothing to do with such people (2 Timothy 3:5). These ministers are rejected as regarding the faith (2 Timothy 3:8)!
     People may read this and consider it judgmental as many do as others speak out against the worldliness that permeates our culture today. You better call Paul a mean spirited judgmental person as well, as these are his words as inspired by the Holy Spirit! 
     People wake up! God is telling us to flee from such things! He is warning us that this is not the way of truth. A lie is still a lie when it is all over. Eternity is too long of a time to suffer in regret and endless torment as we realize we have been deceived!
     The good news is this. Jesus still saves and sets sinners free! There is a true church, one where the truth is proclaimed and lived. Lives are being transformed by the grace of God. The word of God is still being upheld as the unchangeable truth. This is the church that overcomes, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
     Beware of a gospel that allows you to remain in your sin! Beware of a gospel that promotes self over God. Beware of a gospel with no cross, no self denial. Test all things according to the standard of God's word (Acts 17:11, 1John 4:1).
     A form of godliness is worthless without the power to transform lives!
     
     

Beware of False Prophets.

     Jesus warns us in His sermon on the mount to beware of false Prophets (Matthew 7:15-20). He tells us that they may look like the real thing on the outside, they may look like godly pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. but on the in side they are not so.
     Paul warns us of a day when people will not desire to hear the truth, but will gather teachers to themselves who will tell them ear tickling things (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
     I want to look at the idea of a prophet. What is a prophet according to the word of God? People think of prophecy and prophets as foreseeing the future, the foretelling of future events, such as disasters, famines, or other future events concerning nations or individuals.
     To be sure, biblical prophets have accurately foretold future events, but that is not all that a prophet was called to do.
     Take the old testament prophets for example. Look at men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel for example. These individuals were sent by God to confront His backslidden people with there sin and rebellion. They were sent to call the nation of Israel to repentance, to call them to forsake idolatry, and to return to the living God.
     These men spoke as moved by God. They spoke His words, in His power, in His timing. The message they proclaimed offered hope to those who returned to God, but judgment to those who persisted in sin.
     John the Baptist was a prophet who came preaching a message of repentance. He confronted people with their sin, pointed the people to the Savior, but did not have any soothing words for those who would not give up their sin (Matthew 3:1-10, Mark 1:4-8, Luke 3:1-20, John 1:19-35).
     Look what was happening in the days of Jeremiah. Prophets were telling the people that all was well, no harm would befall them, everything was all right, but these people were living in rebellion to God (Jeremiah 23:16-17). God declared that these shepherds were destroying the sheep (Jeremiah 23:1). In fact His anger would not turn back. In other words there are severe consequences for our sinful actions, no matter what anyone else may think or say (Jeremiah 23:20-22). God did not send these men, and God has not sent those who teach similar things in our churches today!
     We hear the message that it doesn't matter how we live after we become Christians, because God covers us, He does not see our sin etc. I believe in grace, I believe in the cleansing blood of Christ, but I also believe the many warnings in scripture that show us that God will not allow us to persist in sinful lifestyles and call ourselves followers of Christ.
     We must pay careful attention to what we are taught, going to the word of God as the standard by which we judge all things pertaining to life and godliness. Jesus said that we will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). Does what they teach line up with the WHOLE council of scripture? I don't mean to take a verse here or there and see if it fits. Is it biblical?
      How about their lives? Do they live Godly lives above reproach? This is a scriptural requirement for a minister of the gospel (1 Timothy 3:1-10, Titus 1:5-9). This is God's standard for anyone who would represent Him in the ministry. We see so many today whose lives are filled with scandal, yet we are told we must not judge them. God says they are not qualified! You will know them by their fruits! How about the individuals that sit under their ministry? Do their lives show the godly change that takes place in a true believer, or do they remain unchanged, but entertain a false hope? We see too much of this I'm afraid.
     Too much is at stake. We must be in the word and see for ourselves what God says, what He requires. Test all things, because one day we will appear before God, and only the truth will stand.
    
    
    

We Need Discernment.

     Many Christians and non Christians as well have been beguiled into blindly accepting the "Heaven is For Real" book and movie.
     I viewed the movie last night, and all I can say is we need discernment! There was nothing in this boy's experience that can be substantiated by scriptural proof, to put it bluntly! The things he saw are fluffy and unbiblical, such as Jesus' rainbow colored horse.
     The Jesus that he saw, and confirmed by the art of a girl who also claims to have seen visions is not the Jesus described in Revelation 1:14-15. I have problems with people's ideas of "What Jesus looks like" (Exodus 20:4). I believe that we do not really know much about what Jesus looks like other than He took on flesh as a man. We worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
     This movie seems to leave one with the new age/universalist feeling that all beliefs will get you to heaven, if you are a good person, you will get there.
     God forgive me if I am wrong about this, but I fear that this movie further propagates the easy feel good gospel that prevails today. Any of the things this boy saw could just as easily been passed to him by "familiar spirits". Satan passes himself off as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
     I did not see the gospel proclaimed in this movie. What I saw was a false hope that will lead thousands of deceived souls to an eternal separation from God in endless torment.
     WE NEED DISCERNMENT CHURCH!

Growth In the Knowledge of Jesus.

     I was once asked by an individual what I thought about divorce and remarriage. He was confused because the bible said one thing, and the early church fathers were split on their take of the issue. 
     The role of women in ministry can also become a thorny issue to deal with. Was it a cultural issue for a specific time, or is it a command for today as well? There are about as many answers to this as there are commentaries dealing with Paul's instructions concerning women.
     My point is not to argue these issues out in this post. I prefer to let the bible speak clearly, after all it is God's book, inspired by Him, for our benefit. We would do well to clear our minds of all preconceived ideas, and come to the word of God with an open heart and mind. After all it is the will 
of God that we are seeking, right?
     As the early Anabaptist leader Conrad Grebel said "I believe the word of God without a complicated interpretation". The bible can be hard to understand in many instances, but yet God desires us to dig in and seek out the truth. He is not going to hide truth from an individual who desires to apply it to his or her life. We get into trouble when we want to know what the bible says about something, but we are unwilling to put it into practice in our lives. We cloud things up when we depend more on human tradition, and interpretation, then upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
     We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:17-18). We need to watch ourselves so that we are not led astray by the errors of unprincipled men.
     Is it ok to use commentaries? Yes, but use discernment! They are written by fallible men, often with a denominational slant. We need to train ourselves to come to the Word with an open mind and heart, realizing that this is the last word on what is true in the eyes of God!

Convictions Worth Dying For.

     It seems that a majority of "Christians" today do not hold too tightly to their convictions. They may hold to various beliefs and convictions, but are easily persuaded to compromise, lay these beliefs aside, or just remain silent. 
     I understand that there are some things that are personal, and we are not to judge another on these things (Romans 14:1-13). This is not what I am referring to. I am writing here about Jesus Christ, and our unwavering commitment to follow Him as Lord of our lives, no matter where it leads us, and how much it costs us.
     The Anabaptists of the sixteenth century are a little known group of people who grew out of the reformation. They followed Christ with an all out passion. Their property was confiscated, they were imprisoned, tortured, and put to death for their beliefs.
     What were these beliefs that meant so much to them? They believed that the scriptures were for them, that they were to be believed and lived out. They believed that the kingdom of God was within them, Christ was the head of the Church, not a city council or other form of human government. They rejected the notion that the consecrated bread became the body of Christ during communion. They saw the communion elements as symbolic of Jesus body and blood. They saw that infant baptism was not biblical. They believed that one was to be baptized upon a true confession of faith. They took the words of Jesus to love ones enemies quite literally. They went out as missionaries throughout Europe preaching repentance from sin and faith towards God, baptizing all who truly believed. Revival followed them. Multitudes embraced the message of the gospel and were baptized as a seal of their surrender to Christ.
     They were at odds not only with the Roman Catholic Church, but were also branded as rebels and heretics by the leaders of the reformation as well. It was Martin Luther himself who declared that they must be put to death for their rebellion against church authority. This did not discourage or stop them. They picked up their cross and followed Christ all the way, many of them to the death.
     We need the boldness and conviction that these Christians, and many others throughout history had. Many today are suffering untold horrors in other lands while we waffle and waver and remain silent, afraid to ruffle feathers and go against the current. We see so much worldliness in the church and do nothing. We follow along as we see a church fighting spiritual battles in the political arena. We have become materialistic, storing up treasures on earth instead of heaven. We know nothing of true cross bearing for the sake of Christ. The modern message of Christ has become so watered down and distorted, but most of us say nothing, sadly many of us do not even realize this is happening. 
     God, grant us the grace to stand for you! Wake us up and give us courage! May we hold firmly to Godly convictions, and change this world for you.
    

Robados de las calles - La historia de George Muller (Pelicula cristiana)