One thing the Bible states is to teach your children the Bible so that they will be able to discern what is good and bad within the world. Now this also means that they must also understand what is going on in the world and you can only do that by being fully informed of what is going on.
At this time not only is knowledge of the Bible lacking but also an understanding of what is going on about us. Today’s society within the United States of America has become a blurb of words here or a picture there and that is all that any requires to know and understand. This is actually a form of ignorance. This is also the surrendering the very control of your life to someone other than yourself. Yet millions of people embrace this mentality. To a large degree it is due to the world moving so fast. Not only in transportation, but in forms of media as well. This is one reason why newspaper companies have diminished and many are not shifting to the internet rather than to actually print a newspaper.
This has also opened the door to false messages being sent out and none really challenge them. As children grow into adults they get to a point where they rebel against the parents. They no longer wish to listen to them and so they substitute one type of authority figure for another. Now if they were taught the Bible as we are told to do they know that the true authority is God and so the Bible is that source for insight and knowledge. This is no longer the case in most young adults’ lives now. So they go off to college and gain their freedom only to be ensnared into dogmas and doctrines that seek to cause chaos and anarchy within this nation.
Do you know that most young adults that go to colleges and universities come out atheist, liberal and haters of the very nation they live within? That is because they have switched from listening to their parent to listening to those they see as more knowledgeable than themselves, their professors, most of which are socialist and atheist.
So who is to blame for this? Their parents to a degree for not instill the word of God into their lives as the Bible instructs them to do. Also not truly researching the school they are sending their young adult off to. This why this nation is in such a poor situation and going downhill more and more every day.
Christians need to get out of their homes and out of their everyday lives and get involved with teaching God, Jesus and the Bible unto to all that are willing to listen. For soon things will get worse, but what is really worse is these young adults may find themselves cut off from God and that is a horror and shame that none should have to suffer. What many do not realize is that God most likely will hold people accountable for their lack of action in this department. Most likely covered under the sin of ignorance, but since you have just read this and you still do nothing there goes that excuse and it will be worse for you when the time comes if you did not make the Rapture, which is why far viewer will disappear from this planet upon this day.
So gain the knowledge of the Bible and spread it to all so that they will gain the knowledge and they too will pass it on and they will rejoice when they can freely stand before God their blemishes removed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Christian
It is hard listening to the blind
One of the saddest thinks for someone that is true to the Bible, Jesus Christ and His Father: God, is to hear the blind spouting out their words and hearing the echo of someone else coming from their mouth.
You know the source of the lie, you see the lie, yet the blind parrot the words nearly exactly. They so wish to have others do their thinking for them that they dare not listen to someone that holds the truth before them.
It would be like saying I have found Bigfoot and here he is as you point to the furring smelly man-ape beside you and they would insist it is someone in make-up. This is how it is for many that are true to God.
It is worse though when they see many that they call their friends and loved ones that still hold on to ideals and believes that have been proven to be falsehoods and lies, yet they are so entrenched in their comfortable world of lies they would rather reject you then to accept what is true. In many cases it must take something drastic to happen in their lives to even give you a second chance to try and explain what is true and real within the Bible.
They would rather call you judgmental then to understand that you are merely following the true teachings within the Bible that say we are to reprove, rebuke and then to exhort them to hear and understand.
So many sit upon the shoulder of those other humans they worship, Parroting over and over again the lies they are told. Eating upon the scraps that those they worship my toss by chance their way.
Our forefathers of this vary nation saw just how humanity was during their lifetimes. They saw those that would think for themselves and challenged the status quo and in so doing created a new nation. They also saw how easily many others were corrupted by greed and power and so within our very own governmental design placed within the ability to keep other powers in check. Their fear was the career politician. Their fear was a president that would think himself a king. Their fear was a supreme court that would try to govern through laws instead of allowing and supporting the laws created by the legislature.
Yet that is the world we live within today. All three branches corrupt and conspiring with each other. Each gaining more power as the common human just tries to stay alive. Most of which blindly echo the words of those in power that strive to remove the true authority over mankind as they seek to supplant God Himself. Not realizing there are condemning themselves as they do so as the lemmings blindly follow them into damnation.
Confessions of a screwed up middle-aged man: Conflict
So here is the situation I am in at the moment. My step-daughters were not raised in the full light of the Lord and allowed to acclimate to the world. Now don’t get me wrong about them. They are wonderful young women and know there is a God. They are also teens. As we all know teens wish to buck the system, push their boundaries and see how things fall.
When not versed in the Bible though this causes confusion and misunderstandings. A main issue of uncertainty and misinterpretation has to do with the LGBT community. They know I am not happy with these folk’s choices, and so they have come to assume that I hate people that have made these choices in their lives. This is not how I feel at all. I actually am saddened by their choices and have befriended many and when given the chance let them know how I saw their decision.
The other day though, the wife told me in a way what I just related to you the reader. Here is my actual response I gave my wife:
“Well, when they tell this to my face I will say, ‘why is it you hate them?’” The response pointed to the girls.
The wife responded: “You just like to start conflicts.”
I said: “No I don’t. I want to help them understand.”
You see they have not asked Jesus into their lives yet. To them they still say “If there is a God…..”
I cannot say this. I have seen too much and learned too much to ever say “If” ever again. Since to me there is a God and His Son Jesus came upon this earth two thousand years ago and died for OUR sins and then rose again on the third day. This causes me to see the world in black and white. There is no grey for those that walk in the grey are worse off than those in the black. At this time my daughters are walking between the grey and the black, while their friends have embraced the black.
Can they come into the light, into the white? That is my prayer and hope for all concerned, but to cause this to happen there must be conflict. They need to be shown the truth.
Yes, befriend those that live in sin, but you can never support or encourage that which is against God. It clearly states in the Bible if you befriend the world you are an enemy of God. But it also says we are to love our enemies, but to do this we must let them know, from this love, that if they do not leave their lifestyle choice that they will suffer greatly.
If you see someone cutting themselves would you not stop them? Would you not get them help? Well this is what those that are going into the LGBT lifestyle are doing. It is obvious that they are “cutting themselves.” All can see it yet extremely few are trying to help them. Instead the majority encourages them and celebrates their self-mutilation.
I wish to help them, but because God has been removed more and more from society by those that deny there is a God. I and those like me are seen as evil when we are a shining light of the truth to the world in the service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Why is the world such a mess and why can I not find any satisfaction from life? (If you have asked these questions please read)
I know these are questions many ask. Why? Because I have asked them myself. I have searched many venues seeking the answers. All safe one have come up short.
Just so you have some insight into where I am coming from. I am about to enter into my third marriage. I have two natural born sons and I am a grandfather. In my teens I was seeking these answers through reading philosophy books, Science Fiction, Fantasy. I sought after the answer through sex and even experiments with marijuana as well as alcohol. I bet I have at least hit on one area you the reader can relate too. All these things left me empty, wanting, still searching and I bet you feel the same way.
I had hit upon the answer slightly throughout my early years. I would go there on my own at eight. You see it was safe for someone of eight to go places on their own back then. Why? Because the answer was known to all back then, even though many were just starting their war against it, they still knew it.
It’s removal from society at large is why violence and unrest have risen to the point where death and cruelty are now the common instead of the uncommon.
“What is this answer?” you are asking. Please bear with me just a bit longer. You have to understand that because it has been removed for the most part is why society is in the state it is today. It is true that it cannot remove all your worries, but it is there to help you through the tough times. It can help you understand that life even though mundane at times is something worth living through and for.
You could be considering suicide at this very moment, but it is not the answer. You could be considering to take a drug to give you a temporary escape, but reality will be there once the buzz is gone.
You could be considering robbing a store or hurting someone. This again will not stop the pain, and in fact will make you feel worse.
These are all the things you do when you wish to runaway, but running is not the answer.
Confronting is part of the answer. Taking accountability for your actions and behavior.
Moreover, there is something that can help you with this. It is the Bible and from that it is God and from Him it is Jesus Christ who died upon the cross for your sins and then came back to life acknowledging that your sins are forgiven and you can live a life that will lead to eternal happiness.
Will this life always be happy and joyous once you accept Jesus? No.
In fact, we are told in the Bible that we will be tested time to time and made stronger and better so we can make it to the ultimate goal of living a life that will last billions upon billions of years. We will be able to see all the glories and creations of God the creator of the universe and you can see it all in person and alive.
Find a church near you. Call them or go in and ask them to teach you about God and the Bible and Jesus Christ your savior.
If they have an ear
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus stated that even in the crowd that was there many would not understand His message. Yet there would be those that did hear. That is even truer today. Many are led astray by false prophets who promise them worldly reward. Even others are like the dogs and the pigs. You offer them insight into God and they appease you for a little while and then turn upon you tearing you to pieces. At one time this could not be taken literally, but more emotionally and finically, that has changed though. Many Christian’s in the Middle East are being killed. While here in the United States you are sued and even though per the constitution it should not see the light of day in the courts people are having their businesses and homes taken from them because they stand by God.
Daily we can look about us and know without a thought who will have an ear to listen to the word of God, yet there are times when it is hard to tell. So we need to be careful with who we open up to, but we must never be afraid to say that we are Christian. We should never be afraid to act like a Christian. Which means to follow the rules of the set forth within the Bible that clearly shows what is good and what is bad. If you follow what is bas then you are not being a true reflection of Christ. But we all make mistakes for we are human, but to live in your mistakes day after day is wrong and by reading the Bible we will know what is good and what is right and so make us righteous in the sight of God.
Matthew 10:16New Living Translation (NLT)
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
What is fruit?
In John 15 Christ talks about the fruit of the vine. In some circles some believe this to be materialist rewards from God. In other circles some say it is the number of those you have brought to God.
Both are wrong, but I have to say to some degree there is some truth in the latter example, but not really.
In actuality it is a combination of faith and works. Through faith the fruit gains it sweetness to God, but through our actions comes the size that is born of the fruit.
Through faith we know in our hearts to study the word of God. This is works, but from reading the word of God we go to the next step in works which is to live that which we have learned from the Bible. As we grow in our faith and in our knowledge of the Bible we gain deeper insight into the Word of God and gain a deeper understanding of how we are to live our lives. This is fruit.
Then as we actually apply what we have learned to our lives and live our faith through action, that is fruit. When we follow the speed limit, because in Titus it says we are to follow the laws of man and so obey the simple laws of the lands like this we give glory and honor to God, thus bearing fruit.
Now here I must add that if the laws of man go against what is written within the Bible it is those that follow the Bible to make ever peaceful effort to restore the balance by once again getting the laws of man to be in line with the Bible. This is fruit.
It is by refraining from sin and through our daily growth end those sins that have been in our lives and may no longer be, but then we find new sins in our lives and so we move ever forward striving to be a true reflection of Jesus Christ our Savior, that is fruit.
It is through acknowledging that all within the Bible is true and if things that are called sin are allowed to continue without informing those that commit these sins, yet profess to be one with Jesus, that they may forfeit their salvation since they are not bearing fruit.
It is by following the dictates of the Bible that says we are to reprove with the Bible, rebuke with the Bible and exhort those that wish to live in sin that is fruit.
Do you gain money? No for God says that those that are poor have a greater reward waiting for them in heaven then from those that are rich. For those that are rich upon the earth have been given their reward they seek and so their reward in the eternal will be sparse since it is not eternal fruit they were seeking but fruit that rots and spoils.
If by doing what we are taught in the Bible causes someone to awaken to the truth it is not we that did this, but God that allowed it to happen. This is not a reward to us, but to God. We are merely His tools and all glory and honor MUST go to God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and so this is the ultimate fruit.
Where are the lights?
In the Sermon the Mount Jesus says that those that know Him are a light unto the world. A light that is to be shown and witnessed by your good works unto to God. This followed directly after the Beatitudes, so before you ask what are good works? I ask what the Beatitudes are. Because they are the general image of good works. But still I see no lights.
Many say they are Christian. Many say they follow Jesus, but still I see no light.
We are to love and follow God with all our heart, mind and soul, yet I still see no light.
We are to treat others as we are to treat ourselves. Yet I still see no light.
Why do people hide their light if it is lit?
Do people know you are a Christian? Do you profess Him to those you know or meet?
Is God your top priority or is it things of the world? Your job, the new house, car, or clothes.
Well?
Is this what the Bible teaches? No.
Material objects are of this world, but we are not of this world. Yet many seek after this world and call themselves a light, yet I still see no light.
Prosperity – The Christian definition
Per Merriam-Webster prosperity is defined as “the condition of being successful or thriving.”
But want does that mean to those that profess to be “Christian?”
What is Christian success? What is thriving as a Christian?”
The best place to start to look for this answer is in Mark. Chapter ten to be exact:
17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Here is the first and most important fact about Christian prosperity. This young man was rich and full of earthly prosperity and he even was a loyal servant to God and for this Jesus looked upon him with love. But Jesus knew his heart and knew that the world was more important to him than God. He was a true “lukewarm.” So Jesus offered him Christian prosperity, but to gain it he must surrender all his earthly prosperity.
Jesus makes it clear in these verses. That those with earthly prosperity will have a hard time gaining access into heaven and if they do their reward which is true Christian prosperity will be lacking.
So any that teach worldly prosperity are turning you away from Jesus not toward Him, and so are naked and poor. (Revelation 3: 15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”)
Mark 10:26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” 28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
Here in these verses above Jesus makes it clear what true Christian prosperity looks like. He also makes it clear that it is not of this earth, and what is of this earth will persecute them. Those that are great in the world will become those that are the least notable in the eternal life that is to come, while those that are poor and the least same become great for billions upon billions of years. As I have stressed before, this earthly existence in which people seek that which is not Christian prosperity have at the most 100 years, and not even that amount to fully enjoy their earthly reward. While our eternal reward will last 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 of years, which is greater?
This is what Jesus says about material needs:
Matthew 6:24-34New Living Translation (NLT)
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
“I think the church is a sleeping giant that needs to wakeup.” My view of this statement
This quote is from Greg Laurie. Personally never hear of the man, nor do I know when he made this statement. All I can say is that if the church is still asleep today, it is dead.
Why do I say this?
No true Christian would support a group that denies God. This has been documented to be where the Democratic Party stands, yet there are those that call themselves “Christian” and still vote and support Democrats.
Matthew 10:33 – “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
No true Christian would support Abortion, especially after the videos that came out last year stating that Planned Parenthood was cutting up babies and selling their body parts. This IS human sacrifice and any that would call themselves “Christian” and support this are an insult to God every time they say they are “Christian.”
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 – “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
No true Christian would tell sinners it is ok to live in sin because God loves them. It is true that God does love them, but per Proverbs 13:24 – “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” So yes love them, but in that love tell them that if they do not stop living in sin, no matter how painful it is for them to stop, then they will not make it into heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:9 – “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived….”
If we are awake we will do what is right in the Lord and put away from us those that deny God.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 – “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
2 Timothy 4:1-5 – “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
Matthew 5:10-12 – “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
Tablets of stone
It is said that when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai that the Ten Commandments were written upon stone tablets, what many do not realize is that it was not just the commandments but the entire book of Leviticus as well. This was not just done to show God’s power but to show that these commandments and laws are unchangeable by humanity.
Yet today that is exactly what many are doing. Taking a chisel to the tablets so they can picking and choose what they are to follow and obey and what they do not wish to follow they are chiseling out. The thing is the chisel leaves no marks upon the stones. The tablets remain unchanged and what is a sin in both the old and the new testaments is still a sin.
Below is a list of sins from the New Testament:
Adultery; Fornication; Uncleanness; Lasciviousness; Idolatry; Witchcraft; Hatred; Variance; Emulations; Wrath; Strife; Seditions; Heresies; Envyings; Murders; Drunkenness; Revellings; Pedophiles; Homosexuals; Thieves; Covetous; Extortioners, Wickedness; Deceit; An evil eye (looking at someone in anger); Blasphemy; Pride; Foolishness
1 Corinthians 6
Mark 7
Galatians 5
Sins from Corinthians were those main sins occurring in Corinth.
Sins in Galatians were the primary sins of Galatia.
Sins in Mark were the primary sins in Israel.
Since the sins are not taken away from the tablet, then where must they be removed from? Us, we cannot keep sin within and expect to make it into heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived.