Thoughts

The modern day Lot

Christian, Christian Life, General, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

re-post
Lot was the last man that was considered loyal to God within the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was so right with God that he knew that the two angels of God were coming unto Sodom the city he lived in with his wife and two daughters.
He knew that the city was not good for the minions of God. This shows those reading the Bible that Lot even though good did not have a full understanding of God and His power.
Still he took the two angels of the Lord to his house and fed them. It is here the men of Sodom came unto Lot’s home and demanded that the messengers of God be given unto them so that the men “know” them.
Now Lot offered up his two virgin daughters, but they turned Lot’s offer down and rushed his home and attempted to break down the door for they would rather be with the men (angels) then with virgins.
The angels told Lot to flee with his family and they were teleported to the entrance of Sodom and they fled.
There is a new Sodom within the United States of America, yet it is not a city but a group. A group that has denounced God and embraces the way of ancient cities. There are those that seek to cure this new Sodom from within it, but it is as Sodom and Gomorrah as well as the other cities that surrounded these two were.
In 2 Peter great detail is given unto these that follow the ways of these ancient cites that God removed from the world in fire and brimstone. It tells that it will corrupt those that were once one with God. It shall be appealing to the lukewarm of Revelation 3:14-22 and they shall no longer bear fruit as is mentioned in John 15.
The other day I had an encounter with one of these that thought themselves to be a modern day Lot. God through the Holy Spirit impressed upon me that I must tell him he was at a crossroads. Yet others interfered making excuses for him and his predicament. Yet I know without a doubt that a crossroads has been met for this man and it is time for him to flee from the sin or be engulfed by it.
I have been given a task by God to speak to the grey (lukewarm) and to help return them to God, but there are things they must do on their own that most refuse to do. The first and foremost they must leave the Democratic party for that is the new Sodom and Gomorrah. They must call those things that are called sin within the Bible sin once again and to turn their backs upon it and to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. For this I say by the will of God who has placed the burden upon me to witness and teach unto those that have turned from Him before it is too late for them. For I have read the Bible and see that many look only to the passage of rewards and glory but ignore the words of falling away and pain from the loss of God within them.

2 Peter 2: 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

A disturbing trend

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , Leave a comment

re-post
Twenty years ago I encountered for the first time a television show where writers attempted to show angels as evil and demonic. It was a kid’s show. Now those children are adults and now I see the same thing but more prevalent. There have been movies as well as TV shows, but the message is the same. Angels bad, man good.
This has only one purpose and it is not a good one. This is what the Bible says about such things:

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Most likely the writers are unaware what they are doing, perhaps the producers do not, but the result is the same. The Bible is not being taught in its true light and they are bring about something that will not go well for them per the Bible.
Things like this are just one more sign to me that our time upon this planet is most likely getting shorter. In a way that excites me and in another it saddens me.

The warnings of lost salvation

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , View all 7 comments

In the Bible there is three passages where Jesus Christ Himself says that those that are one with God can be removed from what they have found. The first is in John 15, the next two take place in the third chapter of the book of Revelation.
In John 15 it is established that Jesus Himself is the grape vine and so any branch on the vine is a part of Jesus Christ and so it can be said they have been saved. It states that we are to bear fruit. The key elements to bearing fruit is by living our lives as is taught within the Bible, simply letting Jesus Christ into our life, as well as a few other things, but that is the key element.
Those that do not bear fruit are cut from the vine of Jesus Christ by God Himself. This dead branch is then given over to man and then into the fire.
Now when Jesus talks of fire especially in this context He is referring to the pit of fire. The last home of those that have turned their backs upon God.
John 15: 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
The examples from Revelation come from the glorified form of Jesus Christ as He tells John to write to certain churches that existed at the time that John wrote the letters and Revelation. In His letter to Sardis Christ makes reference to the Book of Life. Please pay close attention to the wording:
Revelation 3: 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
“Blot out” is the word “exaleipho” in the Greek. This defines as: I wipe away, I plaster, wash over; I wipe off, wipe out, obliterate. This clearly implies that it was there.
In both the imagery is clear. Those mentioned ARE a part of Jesus Christ, but for this to happen they have to be saved, for you can only get into heaven if you are “born again” (John 3:3). This will make you a part of the vine and ensure your name is written in the Book of Life.
In the third example it is Christ’s statement to the lukewarm or those that belief that the world is not black and white but grey.
Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Now again we must reconcile with the understanding that Jesus is talking to those that have asked Jesus Christ into their hearts. Now though they live a life that is not driven by God, Jesus or the Bible, but by what makes them happy. These are those I refer to as the “Sunday Christians.” They go to church on Sunday sing to God and Jesus, praise and pray to them, then the moment they leave church all bets are off. It is dog eat dog and may the best person win. This is the majority of those that profess to be “Christian” today. They are the “lukewarm.” They are an abhorrence to Jesus and sickens Him so much He spits them from His Body. Again we must understand if He can spit them out they have to have been a part of Him in the first place.
This brings me to 2 Peter 2 where how it will be for the end times. This chapter covers a lot and it should be read and re-read till it sinks in. What is to follow is extremely important to read and understand so I will show it in King James and in New Living Translation
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.
Now look at John 3:
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’
When you are truly born again in the Holy Spirit you are saved and one of the Body of Christ. You are listed in the Book of Life. You become a branch upon the vine of Jesus Christ.
But if you are broken off of the vine, and spit out of the Body then your name is no longer in the Book of Life.
Revelation 20:15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

I did not say this. These are not me reading things into the Bible that are not there. This is plain language. This is Jesus Christ HIMSELF saying the words. If you deny His words you are denying Him. Any that deny Him, He will deny to His father.
Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Arrogance

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

re-post
I watch as I see the arrogance of humanity rise to the top. Once again thinking that humans have power over all. As a result they allow themselves to become overconfident. They think they know better than others. They feel that all others are their pawns, their puppets. Their toys to play with as they so desire.
As a result people die, people starve and suffer. Do they care? In a superficial way. They blame their errors upon those that think that God is the way to go. They call those that believe in God ignorant and stupid for believing in what they see as a non-existent entity that adds nothing to the equation. They blind themselves to history. They blind themselves to the evidence before them.
All I see is history once again repeating itself. I see the pride and aloofness that in the end was shattered and crushed. Yet they still go on thinking that THEY can make a perfect world. As every action they take follows what science has stated will always happen. There is an opposite and equal reaction. For everything they do that they call good something evil goes in its place. Something they do not realize actually comes from within them.
For without God there is only evil, and evil begets only evil. When something truly good does occur it lasts for decades, but whenever evil erupts all that results is death and bloodshed. Yet it was not humans that caused the problem, for they are “perfect” especially if they are educated, especially if they know what is best for their fellow human beings.
Their striving to make the perfect reality only causing slavery and division; bloodshed and war. They break apart that which honored God and as a results diminishes humanity. For in their arrogance they belittle and abuse. Murder and rape, for it is not a fellow human they are hurting, but a lesser animal for it does not think as they do. It believes in a one true God and that all humanity was created to serve God. But they do not wish to serve, but to rule. For that is their destiny to control and manipulate. Like a master of all that is good to them for it makes them feel they are the savior of humanity. Not realizing the true savior of humanity, those like them killed.
They deny He is real for they do not see Him. Even though on the third day he rose from His grave and walked and talked to them. Yet this is not real, but a fairytale. It can only be a fairytale, because they are the masters of deceptions and lies for they do it all the time, and those that believe them are idiots and worthy of lying too for they are too stupid to see the truth.
Now humanity’s time is finally waning all because of those that think they are perfection and the masters of the world. While those that see the truth warn them and tell them that He they deny is near and is almost ready to start the coming of the end of the gentile rule of His world.
It is sad that so many would rather live here in this temporal life than in the eternal that is soon to start. May God’s glory truly shine on many before it is too late.

One of the steps toward being a reflection of Christ

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , Leave a comment

For one thing there are several, but this is just about one. Now first, I wish to remind folks that in being a reflection of Jesus Christ we are to not only have faith in Him and His promises, but also in our actions and behavior known as works when taken in context to the Bible. Some will say that “works” is legalism. However, “legalism” is when people go through the motions of actions and rituals, especially when they have no faith. It is both FAITH and WORKS, but on with the topic at hand, which is this step of faith through works:
Romans 13:1 – Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. 6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
Titus 3:1 – Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.
Now what does it mean to submit to the government? It is shown very clearly in Romans. All governments are in existence by the grace of God. So we are to follow the laws that are set forth by said governments, as long as they are not counter to the teachings of the Bible. Like for instance, abortion.
So once again I go back to my fall back example of this. The speed limit on roads. This is a state law. If you break this law you can be punished by getting a speeding ticket. Yet millions break this law every single day because this law is inconvenient to them.
Now I want those reading this to look at that last sentence and ponder upon it a second.

Now read this:
Matthew 22:37 – Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Luke 10:26 – Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
Mark 12:29 – Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’
It is made clear that per Romans and Titus we are to honor God by following the laws set forth by those in government. However many speed “because this law is inconvenient to them.
TO THEM.
To the self.
So God and His laws are “inconvenient to them!”
If we are to place God at the center of our lives. How can HE be an inconvenience? How is this possible?
Because GOD is not at the center of their lives.
THEY are at the center of THEIR LIVES.
2 Timothy 3:1 – You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”
I cannot out do the very words of Jesus Christ. I end this here.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: Taking a beating

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

re-post
One thing Jesus Himself talks of is that following Him will lead to persecution. In my personal experience this is all too real. People do not wish to hear the truth. Especially those that feel they are following the teachings of Jesus Christ when in reality they are not. This was a major reason the Pharisees hated Jesus so much. Because what He taught was truly Biblical and sound, while theirs was all show and left many going into damnation instead of salvation.
Matthew 23:13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
This is true today. For many within the pulpits and upon the dais no longer teach the Bible, but man-made ideals and doctrines which are in reality causing many to think they are one with God, but in reality they are nowhere near Him.
But when people like myself say these things we are ridiculed, insulted, belittled or ignored and called crazy. In a way I feel honored, for this was how the prophets of the Old Testament were received in most cases to the dismay of the people of Israel who did not accept the words of the prophets until it was too late and their nation was subjugated multiple times due to their in part ignorance, but for the most part their arrogance.
Their attitude in both those to the prophets and the Pharisees to Christ Himself is how people for the most part have always been. This is why Christ said upon the Sermon on the Mount that it would be a blessing for those persecuted for remaining loyal to Him and the Bible.
Matthew 5:10 – Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
In another way I feel sorrow, for I truly do love my neighbors, and I wish all to see that glorious day of reward as we joyfully and happily stand before the throne of God in pure white garments. I know all too well though that this is the furthest thing from the truth.
I know that when the Rapture occurs it will be far smaller than many actually expect. Many thinking they will be going with God upon the day when the trumpet blows will find themselves still exactly where they are. As they turn to look at someone else and find that person gone. It will be a noticeable event. For many will go, but it will also be able to explained away because if will not be a significant event to cause the world to stop functioning as some say will happen.
1 Thessalonians 4: 14 – For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
But many, as I said above, will still be here. Thinking they should be with God, but instead they find themselves still here. Why? Because they did not read the Bible themselves. They took the words of others as true, but in reality they were the lies of humans, with no eternal value.
And even now as I type these words I know that some will again tune me out, shut me down and lock my words away from them, for they do not wish to hear these words. Why? Because it would mean that the sins they live within and accept over God are more important to them. Because they were not truly taught of Christ’s true love for them, but of a man-made “love” that equals nothing to Jesus.
They do not wish to hear Jesus say to them that their prayers were never heard for they never truly knew Him.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
I would rather suffer rejection for my fellow humans than to ever reject my Savior.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: FINALLY!!!

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

This last Sunday I finally heard a true preaching of the Bible from a minister. It was shocking and yet satisfying.
To hear a man standing upon the dais actually teaching the Word of God. Saying that to live for sexuality either outside the marriage or with those specifically named sins with the Bible was not living for God, but for themselves. To hear him say, that we are to be a true reflection of Christ. That we are to follow the teachings and commandments within the Bible, but not to a place a ritualism, but by both faith and works combined. Saying that we are not to seek after money to be seek after our rewards which are not of this earth, but in the eternal life that is to come.
To hear my own beliefs be reaffirmed and shown to be the truth of following Jesus Christ as my Savior. It was amazing.

God First part 3

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , Leave a comment

re-post
We are told to seek out the kingdom of heaven and to seek out righteousness. In multiple commentaries it places emphasis that we are to seek out God first. That we should strive to be righteous in all that we do. Will we stumble and fall? Yes, but as long as we pick ourselves up and return to seeking to place God over all we do then we are heading down the right path.
It is a path that will be rough, you will find that not all wish to follow it for they will say that it is too hard and many times you will find that you are shunned, hated and even rejected by those that you once thought were your friends and allies.
They may even ostracize you and call you unworthy, a fanatic and even crazy. These are all things we are warned will happen to us once we go down the narrow road, for most would rather take the wide and easy path, not realizing they are, but they do anyway. It will be painful at times and even lonely, but if you know you are grounded correctly and properly within the teachings of the Bible you have nothing to fear.
One of the hugest misconceptions plaguing the world and even the church is the belief that all there is, is this world we now live within in. This is the furthest thing from the truth. For Christ has promised us an eternal life, yet many still mourn the passing of a loved one more than they should. In all actuality it should be a time for rejoicing for they have been called home unto God if they have tried to live a good and righteous life and avoided sin as best they could through the glory of Christ.
Now I can understand there being sorrow and weeping if they did not, for they may not make it passed the Great White Throne Judgment.
This is why it is so important to strive to place God first in all we do. So when we are called up into heaven we know it will be because we have finished our commission for Christ and we have been a good and righteous servant unto God, His Son and the world and we will have left it at least slightly better than when we first entered into it.
It is then that we will know without a doubt that the life we just left was nothing more than a proving ground. A short test to see if we would stay loyal to the Creator of all and everything by turning from sin.

God First part two

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

re-post
Jesus said to think of and love God first. What this means is in everything thing you do you must say to yourself is this the way God would want it. If you do not know the answer it can be found within the Bible. If you say to yourself “Is this a sin?” then go to the book of Leviticus as well as Deuteronomy and you will find all the sins listed. A majority of our church and family interactions will be found within the New Testament. In fact this is one thing I have noticed all the letters and books in the New Testament were aimed at those that called themselves “Christian.” Now think upon that for a moment.
It states of sin and misbehavior in many of these. The writers of the letters give direction on how to fix these issues. How to become better Christians and advice on how not to sin. They also show how to form a church and how leaders are supposed to act. In this particular fact it tells leaders to be servants to those they lead, which again takes us back to placing God first, all others second and ourselves last an ongoing and continuous theme throughout the New Testament.

God First

Christian, Christian Life, General, government, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , Leave a comment

re-post
In Matthew 6:33 we are told to seek out the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Mathew 22:37 says to love God with all our heart soul and mind. This tells me one thing. To place God first is everything that I do and this is how it should be for all Christians.
Why I mention this is the other day I was told that we must keep religion and politics separate. I say if you place God first above all else how can you keep God out? You can’t.
This is a tool that has been thrown out by those that wish us to not place God first. To deny God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. But as Christ said if you deny Him he will deny you to His Father, which leaves only one true recourse. We must place God in every aspect of our life and that includes politics. So any group or person that denies God is a person or group that Christians should not associate with. Why? Because we are not placing God first in all we do if we do give them support.