What is happening in America is all the sinful abominations that the people are engaging in without shame.
America has the leaders it deserves. We are a country in crisis, not because something has been done to us but because the people are stubborn, wicked and unrepentant. The people have done this to themselves.
The churches are apostate for the most part and have no shame over it.
Jeremiah 6:14-15 "…14 They have dressed the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. 15 Were they ashamed of the abomination they committed? No, they were not at all ashamed. They did not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD. "
Monday, May 18, 2020
Repentance and Forgiveness is Required
We need both repentance and forgiveness. Neither one stands alone, they need each other to be complete. If we do not require repentance than it is an injustice to the victim. If we do not require forgiveness then a repentant sinner cannot reconcile a relationship.
Those who say we must forgive those who are not repentant are placing their psychological way above God's way.
God commanded BOTH repentance and forgiveness.
Luke 17:3-4 " 3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, REBUKE him; and IF HE REPENTS, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times RETURNS TO SAY, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”…"
This is very clear in God's word, we are to forgive when they come to us and confess their sin, not before.
Those who have sinned are to come to ask forgiveness before they can be forgiven.
Giving a pass for sin only empowers sin causing it to grow. Relationships are not restored when someone does not care enough about those they have offended to confess.
Those who say we must forgive those who are not repentant are placing their psychological way above God's way.
God commanded BOTH repentance and forgiveness.
Luke 17:3-4 " 3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, REBUKE him; and IF HE REPENTS, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times RETURNS TO SAY, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”…"
This is very clear in God's word, we are to forgive when they come to us and confess their sin, not before.
Those who have sinned are to come to ask forgiveness before they can be forgiven.
Giving a pass for sin only empowers sin causing it to grow. Relationships are not restored when someone does not care enough about those they have offended to confess.
We Were Going to go Together
I wanted to share this with all of you who are expecting to hear the sound of the trumpet soon.
I have to tell you a little story.
One morning about 2 am, Rodger heard something that sounded like a trumpet.
He grabbed my hand and asked: "is that the trump of God?" I awakened a little more and heard it too. I said: "I don't know."
We were half a sleep and excited that we might be hearing the trumpet of God. Then as we awakened more we realized it was just the sound of a tug boat whistle on the river.
We were disappointed when we didn't go up. We both knew in our hearts that it would happen so fast we would not have time to talk about it, but our hearts were ready and Rodger was going to make sure we went together. I guess you know for sure you believe something when this happens.
I have to tell you a little story.
One morning about 2 am, Rodger heard something that sounded like a trumpet.
He grabbed my hand and asked: "is that the trump of God?" I awakened a little more and heard it too. I said: "I don't know."
We were half a sleep and excited that we might be hearing the trumpet of God. Then as we awakened more we realized it was just the sound of a tug boat whistle on the river.
We were disappointed when we didn't go up. We both knew in our hearts that it would happen so fast we would not have time to talk about it, but our hearts were ready and Rodger was going to make sure we went together. I guess you know for sure you believe something when this happens.
When You Speak Truth
This is true of anyone who speaks out with Scripture to expose error and help believers get back on the right track again, they are reviled by those who are stubborn in the church.
I see more hostility coming from people who say they are "Bible believers" than I do from the heathens. So many in the church today do not know their Bibles or know just enough to sound like they know but neglect most of it.
I am convinced this is because many Christians we encounter have never been born again, so they are hostile toward the truth.
These people are taking the Lord's name in vain by claiming to be Christian when they never trusted Him and don't care about His Word.
Those who have been changed into a new creation by Christ love hearing truth even if it chastises them.
Proverbs 12:1-2 "1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 2 The good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a man who devises evil.…"
Psalm 94:12
"Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord,
And whom You teach out of Your law;"
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
2 Timothy 2:12
"If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;"
I see more hostility coming from people who say they are "Bible believers" than I do from the heathens. So many in the church today do not know their Bibles or know just enough to sound like they know but neglect most of it.
I am convinced this is because many Christians we encounter have never been born again, so they are hostile toward the truth.
These people are taking the Lord's name in vain by claiming to be Christian when they never trusted Him and don't care about His Word.
Those who have been changed into a new creation by Christ love hearing truth even if it chastises them.
Proverbs 12:1-2 "1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 2 The good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a man who devises evil.…"
Psalm 94:12
"Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord,
And whom You teach out of Your law;"
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
2 Timothy 2:12
"If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;"
Look Up Not Around
My husband made a very good point in our time together over coffee this morning. That point was that Christ commanded, "when you see these things, look up." This was not a suggestion it was a command.
Matthew 24:32-34 "32 Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.…"
Christ never said look around and find as much dirt and evil as you can and talk about it. He instructed us to look up with great joy and expectation.
We have no need to seek out the conspiracies to find dirt to be able to know the world is evil, it presents itself in our face often. All we have to do is live our lives and see from daily living that there is evil all around us. The details only bring a sense of helplessness that there is nothing we can do to stop it, and there is not!
Knowing the evil exists and is growing should be enough to cause us to warn others with Scripture, not with the details of the evil, but with God's words of warning, they are enough.
When we look around more than we point one another to Christ we are filling our beings with filthy water rather than the pure water of Christ's Words.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
"25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
2 Corinthians 6:17
"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,"
Ephesians 5:11
"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
God tells us to expose evil when it comes our way this does not mean that we should go looking for filth to view and show to others.
2 John 1:9-11
"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."
1 Timothy 6:3-5
"If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain."
Matthew 24:32-34 "32 Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.…"
Christ never said look around and find as much dirt and evil as you can and talk about it. He instructed us to look up with great joy and expectation.
We have no need to seek out the conspiracies to find dirt to be able to know the world is evil, it presents itself in our face often. All we have to do is live our lives and see from daily living that there is evil all around us. The details only bring a sense of helplessness that there is nothing we can do to stop it, and there is not!
Knowing the evil exists and is growing should be enough to cause us to warn others with Scripture, not with the details of the evil, but with God's words of warning, they are enough.
When we look around more than we point one another to Christ we are filling our beings with filthy water rather than the pure water of Christ's Words.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
"25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
2 Corinthians 6:17
"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,"
Ephesians 5:11
"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
God tells us to expose evil when it comes our way this does not mean that we should go looking for filth to view and show to others.
2 John 1:9-11
"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."
1 Timothy 6:3-5
"If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain."
Building Up in the Faith
It is our job as born again believers to build one another up in the faith.
Building someone up does not mean flattering them or praising them. It means we speak truth to them that they may be sound in their faith.
Using Scripture to build others up may at times mean we must correct with scripture.
There is no better way to build the faith of a brother or sister than to bring Scripture to bear so they can be encouraged to obey God. It is when we obey God that we see the blessings of wisdom.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing."
Proverbs 27:17
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Hebrews 3:13
"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."
We cannot build someone in the faith when we are flattering them. We cannot build someone in the faith without using scripture that is applicable to the situation.
As born again believers we ought to be more interested in truth and righteousness than we are in temporary happiness.
Colossians 3:16
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Those who will not receive correction or instruction from God's Word are prideful and cannot expect to grow emotionally or spiritually.
Using Scripture to build others up may at times mean we must correct with scripture.
There is no better way to build the faith of a brother or sister than to bring Scripture to bear so they can be encouraged to obey God. It is when we obey God that we see the blessings of wisdom.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing."
Proverbs 27:17
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Hebrews 3:13
"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."
We cannot build someone in the faith when we are flattering them. We cannot build someone in the faith without using scripture that is applicable to the situation.
As born again believers we ought to be more interested in truth and righteousness than we are in temporary happiness.
Colossians 3:16
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Those who will not receive correction or instruction from God's Word are prideful and cannot expect to grow emotionally or spiritually.
The Numerous Deceptions in the Church
1 Timothy 4:1
"4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,"
The deceptions are so numerous now in the church that the people actually believe their heresies and errors, defending them to the point of anger when they are exposed.
2 Timothy 4:6-10 "6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.
10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers."
"4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,"
The deceptions are so numerous now in the church that the people actually believe their heresies and errors, defending them to the point of anger when they are exposed.
2 Timothy 4:6-10 "6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.
10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers."
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