"It is NOT just your church that is focusing on seekers, believing that making people Rapture-ready will result in fear, division, and members fleeing. The church right BEFORE the Rapture will be Laodicean. This is an around-the-world phenomenon." Jan Markell
We are experiencing the very end of the last days. We can expect fewer and fewer people to be interested in prophesy even though it is happening right before our eyes just as God said it would.
2 Timothy 3
"3 But realize this, that in the last days perilous (ragingly insane) times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Why We Encourage One Another
"Meeting the like-minded assures people that they are not the only ones who are shut down, put down, scolded and ostracized, even by loved ones, just for believing the truth." Jan Markell
One might ask why we spend so much time on facebook and other media to expose the lies and embrace the truth, its very simple, we strengthen one another as tell the truth to one another.
And, in telling the truth to one another onlookers might see our dedication to our brothers and sisters as something rare and special, there might be something to this "gospel of Christ."
John 13:24-25 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Our love for the truth, for Christ and one another is a strong witness to the world of something far more important than anything this world has to offer.
1 John 2:15-16 "15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.…"
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."
James 1:27
"Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James 4:4
"You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God."
One might ask why we spend so much time on facebook and other media to expose the lies and embrace the truth, its very simple, we strengthen one another as tell the truth to one another.
And, in telling the truth to one another onlookers might see our dedication to our brothers and sisters as something rare and special, there might be something to this "gospel of Christ."
John 13:24-25 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Our love for the truth, for Christ and one another is a strong witness to the world of something far more important than anything this world has to offer.
1 John 2:15-16 "15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.…"
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."
James 1:27
"Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James 4:4
"You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God."
Our King of Kings the Only One to be Excited About
I cannot get excited about any leader in this world. My eyes are so focused on Christ our King Who will rule the world with perfect justice!!!
John 12:15 Did this already:
"FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT."
1 Timothy 6:13-15 "13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."
This world is growing worse because of the evil and sin that is upon it. We have nothing to look forward to concerning this world. However we have everything to look forward to soon when Christ our King takes us home after which we will come back with Him as He destroys the evil upon the earth.
YES!!!! We will be with Him!!! But only those who are born again will experience this joy and justice.
John 12:15 Did this already:
"FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT."
1 Timothy 6:13-15 "13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."
This world is growing worse because of the evil and sin that is upon it. We have nothing to look forward to concerning this world. However we have everything to look forward to soon when Christ our King takes us home after which we will come back with Him as He destroys the evil upon the earth.
YES!!!! We will be with Him!!! But only those who are born again will experience this joy and justice.
Church Foolishness and Deception
The first century church as described in the Bible had no prescribed rituals, no one man pastor systems, no buildings to spend money on and no government involvement. The government involvement has to do with owning property, I get that, but it was never meant to be. Some believers met in synagogues that were already built, but Christ never commanded any more buildings to be built for the purpose of meeting together.
All of these things were man concocted. I will not call them sin but rather a deviation from the model God gave us. There were to be elders appointed, a plurality of leadership never just one man.
No where in the word of God do we see anyone being assigned a title such as "Pastor". There were several pastors who served it was their calling but it was not a title or a particular position, it was a gift and several men in the group had the gift, these were those who were appointed to be elders.
Titus 1:5-6 " 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.…"
Elders were not young men, they were those who had already raised a family and were proven to have instilled in their children the principles of God.
There is no mention of a man titled "Pastor" who ruled over anyone. The pastors who were gifted led by example and through teaching.
1 Peter 5:1-4 "5 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Young men who are still raising children and still learning themselves should not be in a leadership position. Also it is sheer silliness to place young leaders over teenagers who follow their "leader" simply because he is young like them. We see what has happened in the gatherings because of this foolishness. We see the young leaders acting more like the peers under them than godly men with wisdom to impart.
Any teenager who attends a gathering just because their leader is a "cool dude", is not seeking Christ and will likely remain immature as long as the young leader seeks to entice the youngsters by being more like them than he is like a mature serious believer.
Its sad to me that we have more goats in the pulpit leading the lambs to slaughter than we have serious minded godly men who care deeply about the souls of those they lead.
James 3:1 "1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
All of these things were man concocted. I will not call them sin but rather a deviation from the model God gave us. There were to be elders appointed, a plurality of leadership never just one man.
No where in the word of God do we see anyone being assigned a title such as "Pastor". There were several pastors who served it was their calling but it was not a title or a particular position, it was a gift and several men in the group had the gift, these were those who were appointed to be elders.
Titus 1:5-6 " 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.…"
Elders were not young men, they were those who had already raised a family and were proven to have instilled in their children the principles of God.
There is no mention of a man titled "Pastor" who ruled over anyone. The pastors who were gifted led by example and through teaching.
1 Peter 5:1-4 "5 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Young men who are still raising children and still learning themselves should not be in a leadership position. Also it is sheer silliness to place young leaders over teenagers who follow their "leader" simply because he is young like them. We see what has happened in the gatherings because of this foolishness. We see the young leaders acting more like the peers under them than godly men with wisdom to impart.
Any teenager who attends a gathering just because their leader is a "cool dude", is not seeking Christ and will likely remain immature as long as the young leader seeks to entice the youngsters by being more like them than he is like a mature serious believer.
Its sad to me that we have more goats in the pulpit leading the lambs to slaughter than we have serious minded godly men who care deeply about the souls of those they lead.
James 3:1 "1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
Last Days Deceptions: Vegetarianism
There is an increase in vegetarianism because we are living in the end days. The more intensely the rejection of the Bible the more we will see people promoting wrong thinking about everything.
1 Timothy 4:2-4
"2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;"
Those who believe it is wrong to eat meat are defying the will of God that everything is fit to eat. It is one thing to choose not to eat meat and substitute the meat with nuts and other sources of protein but it is wrong to tell others they should not eat what God has said is good to eat.
Genesis 9:3
"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything."
Romans 14:3
"Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him."
1 Timothy 4:2-4
"2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;"
Those who believe it is wrong to eat meat are defying the will of God that everything is fit to eat. It is one thing to choose not to eat meat and substitute the meat with nuts and other sources of protein but it is wrong to tell others they should not eat what God has said is good to eat.
Genesis 9:3
"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything."
Romans 14:3
"Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him."
Love of Sin is Death
Love of self is what got the devil thrown out of heaven. Sadly there are those who say they love Jesus more than self but then live as though they don't love Him at all.
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
Those who say "sin doesn't matter we are under grace" do not understand grace at all. They also do not understand salvation by grace.
We are extended grace to become born again through believing in Christ, but after that He makes us into a new creation. We hate sin, run from it and despise what God hates.
Psalm 97:10
"O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked."
A man cannot love God and make excuses for sin at the same time.
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
Those who say "sin doesn't matter we are under grace" do not understand grace at all. They also do not understand salvation by grace.
We are extended grace to become born again through believing in Christ, but after that He makes us into a new creation. We hate sin, run from it and despise what God hates.
Psalm 97:10
"O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked."
A man cannot love God and make excuses for sin at the same time.
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