The Empowerment Of Sin

My mother, was a passionate bible reader who often voiced her concern about the changing landscape of Christianity.  In her later years, during many of our conversations there were moments when we both questioned the validity of our religion, because of the many changes taking place place in and out of the organized church. The scripture states that God does not change, but the rules and requirements of salvation were changing all around us.  Even the attributes of sin were changing. What was once considered a sin, were becoming acceptable after a period of time?

It is for these reasons that I often describe Christianity as a failed religion, because as my mother would say, “Christianity has failed to live up to the standards that it has set.  It has begun a process of back peddling from the values it once held true as it adopt the rules of the ungodly in its attempt to redefine the sins that beset us. The definition of sin has always been a factor in living a Christian lifestyle.  In today’s political correct society, the definition of sin is evolving, that which once was considered a sin is no longer considered a sin, it is justified.  More and more preachers are refraining from preaching about sin.  A beautiful Sunday message is filled with God’s promises which creates a spirit of euphoria and profound expressions of his love.

A few questions to ask yourself, then we will proceed.  How can Christian remain true to God and itself when it adopts a position of humbleness and the acceptance of difference cultures.  Why has it become taboo to reverence God or the Bible?  Why did hate laws define Christianity as a hate group?  Has America declared war on Christian values? 

In a recent posting, I discussed the justification of sin in detail.  The Justification of sin is the process by which that which once was considered a sin evolves and become an acceptable way of life.  The first step to the justification of sin is to acknowledge that one sin is no greater than another.  The Bible is often used to support this thesis.  Yet, under the Law, God set forth stricter punishments for certain sins.  Therefore, to justify sin, God and sin needed to be redefined.

 Once a sin is justified it is the empowerment of that sin that enable it to spread and this poses the greatest threat to Christianity.  Justification of sin affects the individual, the empowerment of sin gives it the means necessary to spread and corrupt humanity on a larger scale.  To empower sin, the status of sin must be upgraded. It must be glamorized and made appealing to those who look upon its unholy attributes.  Empowerment takes place when  a church, ruling body or even the government set their approval and enacts laws to protect the rights of the participators.  

The justification of sin allows a minister or pastor to commit the sin of adultery or fornication in spite of biblical condemnation.  How is this possible?  It began with, “Lord, I am weak, but you are strong”, and it ends with salvation being described as a, “work in progress.”  A conclusion is drawn in that we are free to sin until God prefects our salvation.  Sad, but the empowerment of sin is achieved through the process of hermeneutics.  Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation of the Scriptures by isolating verses of Scripture, often out of context, to prove a vanity point of doctrine.  This is a common practice, but it is not a valid approach to understanding God's word. 

Hebrew 13:4 ESV, Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.  A famed movie producer who was living a sexually immoral life, laid hands on the esteemed television  pastor and Bishop and entreated  the blessing of God.  An act that empowered the sin of fornication in the eyes of millions, devalued the marriage bed as he later rejoiced and thanked God for his child that was born out of wedlock. 

The justification of sin under the guidelines of the government has already taken place, and one by one the organized church are being drawn in.  In a society based upon subjective morality, the people not God, represented by the government reserve the right to define such things as, when does life began, the definition of marriage and what is sin and how one is separated from sin.   The trump card is every person reserves the right to make his own descision, this in itself is the polluted stock of mass confusion.

Humanity has denied the power of God in the things of God, and claim that power for themselves.  In exchange for funds churches are organized and are required to issue human rights statements that adhere to the standards set forth by the government. While the church and many minority groups danced in the street and proclaim it to be the works of God, The Human rights act of 1964 sets the stage for a direct attack on God's authority and the church said, "Amen". 

The founding fathers of this nation had the foresight to acknowledge that human right was endowed by God and that these rights were unalienable rights, meaning  that man can neither create, grant, nor could he destroy these God given rights of humanity.  Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,-'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;' and to 'secure,' not grant or create, these rights, governments are instituted. Humanity often creates laws that infringe upon the rights of one group in favor of another, the act in itself declares that all rights are  inalienable and a type of hatred is released that cannot be eradicated.  You can surrender, sell or transfer inalienable rights if you consent either actually or constructively. Inalienable rights are not inherent in man and can be alienated by government. Persons have inalienable rights. Most state constitutions recognize only inalienable rights. 

What does this have to do with sin?  The definition and separation of ‘unalienable rights’  and ‘inalienable rights’ are what gives humanity the authority to overstep his bounds and declare the God that brought us incompetent.  “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)  Hence man began to disregard the authority of God and take upon himself the task of deciding what is good and what is evil.  Humanities infringement upon the lines of separation of good and evil produced a foul stench through the land, a new type of hatred was born.

Let's examine the sin of murder as compared to the sin of lying. One can argue for the sakes of argument that one sin in the sight of God is no greater that an other.  Yet, as we stated earlier under the Law there were different punishment for different transgressions.  Murder is a sin that is so ingrained in the human physic that we can discuss it without incurring the wrath of a permissive society.  The fact that God said, “thou shall not kill”,  or properly interpreted as  "thou shall not commit murder", is no longer a detrimental factor, nor is the application of the death penalty.  In a modern society murder is glorified in struggling communities, gang membership and in the media.  Laws are enacted to protect the rights of the murderer.  Now, a person who commits murder is able to say with conviction, my sin is no greater than the person who bear false witness.

Listening carefully to the message of the Bishop as he chooses his words carefully in his attempt  to justify the position of the church and  reconcile  the difference in opinions among his constituents.  A church that once was noted for its message of, "It's Holiness or Hell", dumbed down its rhetoric in the face of adversaries and now proclaim, "God loves all of us."  A deviant interpretation of John 3:16.  This occurs when we surgically remove one verse from the supporting conversation or scripture and present it as a complete thought. From that same verse many teach that we are not to condemn those who walk in darkness.  John 3:18-19  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

There was a time when we said, “If the Word of God condemn you, you are condemned”.  Today it is neither fashionable to condemn or judge, even though the Bible is a Book of Judgement and condemnation.   As in the movie, "Left Behind", those who follow the Words of the Holy Scripture are declared to be, “Haters". 

A Discussion Of Biblical Proportions

Revelation 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

For I am the LORD, I change not. (Malachi 3:6)

There are many of us who hold the opinion that the future of humanity as we know it is at risk because our system of values has become corrupt and the world as we know it is suffering from moral bankruptcy.  Even America, that nation that was founded upon the concept of, “God shed his grace on thee”, seems to have lost its way and become adrift in a sea of deliberate confusion and blasphemy. America, that proud nation that once chooses to challenge the status quo and had the audacity to proclaim itself, “one nation under God”, has ripped apart the moral fibers of its collective consciousness and now proclaims itself a nation of many gods, cultures and beliefs.   The only consensus is the indoctrination of "In God we trust" has failed.

Nations once derived their value system from their culture and their culture derives their values from religion or the lack of religion.  The ancient values of a Christian society are now being cast aside and our culture is becoming self defining entity.  The battle between Christianity and atheism is now being fought and Christianity is loosing.  This does not set well with the professional pundits of Christian lore for they proclaim to be a part of a group that the gates of Hell will not be able to stand against.   Jesus made this population to Peter, but in the Book of Revelation Jesus condemn the church.

In a battle a bullet will kill, yet if the bullet is defective, it may fail to do what was intended or expected it.  Paul used an analogy of putting on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to withstand the Devil.  Failure to do so will allow will allow for premature destruction of the soldier.  Proper use of armor requires we understand the instruction that comes with  the package.   Proper use of the armor of God requires that we understand the instructions that is contained within the scripture.  The uses of hermeneutics is the science of interpretation of the Scriptures. Isolating verses of Scripture to prove a point of doctrine is common practice, but it is not a valid approach to understanding God's word. 

The Bible tells us that, “every way of a man is right in his own eyes”. (Proverbs 21:2)  This is human nature, but God also tells us that only He can reveal the true motives of the heart, the nature of the human mind.  But, in today’s politically correct society are we really concerned about what God has to say?  Humanity has always been determined to live its life, its own way, the way that feels good, and as humanity follows its own path, it considers itself to be right in its decisions.  But this is a lie, because the very core and inner working of human nature is based on pride and selfishness, the self being first.  Whether we admit it or not, this basic nature is the cause of conflicts, arguments, dissension, envy, competition, hatred, wars, stress, and all of this makes for an unhappy lifestyle.   The battle between Christianity and that way that seems right to man is in its final stage, and the Bible is being used to justify the sin nature of humanity. 

 

The concept of sin has become entangled in a legalistic argument of what is right and what is wrong.  The true concept of God can no longer be injected into an argument because the burden of proof cannot be met from a legalistic point of view.  Christianity is struggling in the hands of the devious in a fatal attempt to prove its relevancy.  In order to remain a relevant force, Christianity and society must come to an agreement on what is right and what is wrong based upon subjective (man) morality rather than objective (God) morality.  In a political correct society it is necessary to remove God from the equation and redefine sin as it applies to all of mankind.   

 

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)  The objective morals that once were promoted by the Western societies are being replaced by a subjective morality.  Christian values have become toxic and are being replaced with politically correct values.  The churches are adopting a message of peaceful coexistence rather than confrontation.  It is conceivable that if Jesus or Paul were to preach a message in today's modern church they would be harshly chastised.  Imagine John the Baptist standing in the pulpit of a marvelous and richly endowed church screaming, "Oh ye generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath of God."   The use of the words, “The use of the words wrath of God disturbs many.

Revelation 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

The events of Revelation are upon us, despite the fact that our great vast knowledge has allowed us to explain away many of the events, yet we cannot deny the facts, the world is suffering.  There is confusion abounding, and there are those whose mission is to create confusion.  Daniel and John foresaw a new nation rising up out of a sea of confusion, a nation filled with blasphemy.  

It is my belief and hope that the events portrayed in Revelation 13:1 take place after the Holy Spirit and the church has been removed from the earth.  These events are proposed to take place during the tribulation.   The reason for my belief is that in Revelation 4:1 John is invited to “… Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”  What follows in chapter four and the rest of the Book of Revelation is John’s view from Heaven.  When John was invited to “come up hither”, the church is no longer mentioned as being here on earth.

Revelation 13:1 contains a wealth of information presented in symbolic form.  To understand this verse we need to refer to the symbology of Revelation.  John is standing in a place where he can view the event taking place  without being affected by them.  This is John’s view from Heaven.  He is standing among the chosen of God, the “sand” of the sea.  The sea is multitudes of people existing in a state of confusion.  A teeming mass of confused souls.   Religious confusion, racial confusion, land disputes all together forms a sea of confusion from which a new ruler emerges.    

 

Now if you were to reread read Revelation 13:1 and replace the word “sea” with  “multitude of people”  a sense of deeper understanding should begin to emerge.  In the symbology of the scripture a beast refers to a ruler nation.  John saw a “beast”, or a nation rising up out of the confusion that had prevailed over the world, and he goes on to define the power structure of this new form of government.  One world government is a reality and men of power are leading us toward that destination.

This is nothing new, it is a concept that has been promoted by the devil from the beginning.  Out of desperation he tried to set Jesus Christ up as his ruler of the world.  Matthew 4:8-9  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

What the Devil offered Jesus the organize church accepted.  The voice of the true church is being silenced as more and more churches accept government funding and agree to bound by the rule and regulations set forth by the government.   Remember Jesus last word to the church, Revelation 3:18-19  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is One World Order A Reality?

Revelation 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.

Revelation 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

In his apocalyptic vision in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John sees the “beast,” also called the Antichrist, rising out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns.  The symbology of the Bible uses a beast to represent a nation.  A nation rising up out of the sea is representative of a nation rising up out of confusion and the blood of millions being shed.  The sea is symbolic of a multitude of people in a confused state.  A beast rising up out of the earth would be symbolic of a new nation being born without the shedding of blood.

America is in trouble, and one government insider reported that all sixteen US Intelligence Agencies have begun to prepare for World War lll.  The conflict across the Middle East and Ukraine should serve as a warning sign as the Bible speaks of wars and rumors of wars before the end of days.  Those that are supposed to be in the know believe that world war lll will begin here in America, and that conceivable it could begin within the next six months.  Race relationship is the catalyst, and the outcome would be disastrous for those who serve as pawns in a worldwide scheme of world domination.

The United States and other western governments that once stood in the gate to block other rising leaders whose goal was world domination.  Now they have begun to shed their Christian values and are embracing the values of a Godless society.  Gradually the United States and other nation are on the road to being ripped apart by internal  strife.  There are already groups in this country who is appealing to the United Nations, an entity that was created by  the United States to become involved in American’s dispensation of justice.   

One World Government is a reality.  The Constitution will be set aside, martial law will be enforced, chaos will reign supreme and blood of many will be shed.  Plans are already underway to reduce the world’s population to a manageable level through newly emerging diseases, civil unrest, droughts and famines.  The Bible also prophesied of earthquakes in divers  places, but we can cast this aside because we are no longer a God fearing nation.  Out of this chaos, a new governing entity will be ushered into place whose objective will be to stamp out all traces of Christianity.

Within the borders of the United States Homeland Security or FEMA has armed itself, it has militarized the police force, the resources for detention camp has already been been provided for, ammunition, body bags and even casket have been said to have been stocked piled.  

  

There is a Muslum faction at work in America that is called the Islamization of America and it stated and ultimate goal is to incite a race war or civil unrest, the type of warfare that has allowed it to advance its agenda in other Third World countries.   The Muslum agenda has been injected into the American way of life and is being catered to by our laws, government, schools and churches.  Those that have been blinded and manipulated will become gun fodder for a revolution that will fulfill the will of the Antichrist.

The Bible does not use the phrase “one-world government” or “one-world currency” in referring to the end times. It does, however, provide ample evidence to enable us to draw the conclusion that both will exist at the end of days.  To understand what is taking place in the world today, we need to study and understand the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation which we shall study in more detail in the second and third part of this study.

The concept of one world government is not new, the founding fathers had a hidden agenda and the formation of this country was based upon the pretense that it would one day rule the world. During the Second World War, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated talks on a successor agency to the League of Nations, and the United Nations Charter was drafted at a conference in April–June 1945; this charter took effect 24 October 1945, and the UN began operation.  It failed to become an effective enity, but it served the purpose of restoring Israel to its homeland.  This is important from a biblical prospective.

In 1957, the six countries signed the Treaty of Rome, which extended the earlier co-operation within the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and created the European Economic Community (EEC), establishing a customs union. They also signed another treaty on the same day creating the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for co-operation in developing nuclear energy. Both treaties came into force in 1958.  This is the rebirth of the Roman empire, which Revelation also speaks of. 

Can we pretend we are not aware of the Muslim agenda, the Islamization of America.  An Isis spokesman has posted a call to arms for Muslims around the world to kill Americans, Canadians and European citizens for their governments’ role in a coalition against ISIS. But what the average American is unaware of is the ISIS more shocking Islamic injunctions that permit Muslims everywhere to carry out killings by ordering them to cause as much as ten million American casualties which included training videos that circulates the social media for use by the Muslim community under the nose of the FBI which they refuse to do anything about.

Our neighborhood, our country, the world is being divided and the charge is being led by those who are in power.  The deception, the manipulation, the indoctrination has blinded many.  An analogy is, a man burned his house down because it was infested with rats, then at the end of the day he had no place to go.  He turns to his neighbor who refuse to board him, and in his anger he burns his neighbor’s house down.

Revelation 8:13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

To aid in my research I google the phrase, “trumpets sounding from heaven”, the result was overwhelming.  It seems as if the Trumpets of the Book of Revelation are sounding around the world. Sound like the warnings described in the Book of Revelation. These sounds alone can be dismissed, but together with the earthquakes in uncommon places, same with tornadoes, snow storms in the desert, floods here, droughts there, diseases and volcanoes everywhere, and these sounds on top of that, you have too many variables popping up and hitting the mark at the same time.

Daniel 7:16-24  I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.  Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;  And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Who Will Cry For The Children?

The result of numerous polls  reveals that the majority of young people who grew up in the church leave it soon after graduating from high school, and most of them will never return.   I've seen statistics that speculates that the rate is as high as eighty percent.  The reality of this sets in when we look at the makeup of the congregation of our home church. This shocking reality should cause us to take a long, hard look at how the church "ministers" to youth.  Why do they leave? While I'm not a professional statistician or a sociologist, I have interacted with young people and observed how the church relates to them, and I have come to conclusions that won't be very popular with some.  Here they are.

When our kids are elementary school age, they go to Sunday school and Children's Church which is great.  However, what are they taught?  By the time they reach fourth or fifth grade they have heard the story of the Walls of Jericho, Jonah and the fish's belly, the parting of the Red Sea, Joseph and the many colored coat, and David and Goliath a zillion times. Oh, the story is presented in a more advanced level as they get older, but it is still the same story. By the time our kids finish elementary school, they have been storied to death. And they are bored.

The Bishop  entered into the fray and level a stinging indictment against all mothers and fathers whose children no longer go to church.  The church would not be suffering the decline in youth participation, he inferred,  if mothers and fathers would bring their children to church.   He stated that the dropout rate was around sixty percent, which I think is much higher.  To validate his position he quoted  Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  The blame was placed on the parents and he rested his case.

What the illustrative Bishop failed to acknowledge that raising up a child takes more than the teaching of the parent.  When a child is born,. Figuratively speaking,  a conspiracy is entered into by the parent, the preacher, the schools and the people that this child will come in contact with during its formative years.  These entities will take charge of this child's mind, shape it and possess it.  To successfully raise up a child takes the interaction of all of these entities.   If any one of these entities  failed to do their job successfully,  the process suffers.  Many of our children fail in the educational system because they do not realize the relevancy of a good education and the system's inability to impart this knowledge.  There is also a lack of spiritual knowledge   disseminated  within the religious community.   The dissemination  of spiritual knowledge is more than telling a story of Jesus walking on the water.  Why did the journey began, what transpired along the way and how this all will end is the basis of spiritual knowledge.

The Bishop said it and I was not impressed.  When asked why young people of today do not include going to church as a part of their lifestyle, he placed the blame on the parents.  Mother and fathers, he said do not bring their children to church like they should.   His statements were a stinging indictment  on all of the mothers and fathers who brought their children up going to church only to see them walk away from the church.  To validate his position as a man of God, he again quoted Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. And agan he rested his case.

Some years later, while researching my book, “My Search for the Real God”, I posed the question again that most religious leaders still skirt around.  With no definitive answer forthcoming I was left to formulate my own.

First, they have never been challenged in their faith. They haven't been taught theology and doctrine and thus are clueless on what they believe and why they believe it. When challenged by a college professor or coworker about matters of faith, specifically Christianity, the only answer that can be given is indoctrinated clichés.  , Then doubts creep into their minds and they see no great reason for their faith. They never had anyone explain theology and how it relates to all matters of life, and have not dug deeply into the Bible. Their church experience has left them empty, and they find no relevance in following Jesus.

Second, they have not seen authentic discipleship lived out by adults in their lives - at church or at home. They see the adults in church bickering about the color of the carpet, the loudness of the music, and the length of the pastor's sermon. They see adults who gossip, criticize, and live lives that are unholy. Young people are very impressionable, and when they see adults clueless about their faith and living like the rest of the world they think "Jesus really doesn't make a difference, so why should I follow Him?".  And they plunge headlong into the "goodies" the world dangles in front of them.

We are losing our kids to the world, and we scratch our heads in confusion and anger and wonder why. Many of us have failed our kids both intellectually and practically.  Many churches of today are embracing the entertainment aspect of Christianity to attract our youth back into the church.  Is this the hope of the church?

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I strongly believe that we need to teach our youth theology, not entertainment, so by the time they graduate high school, they have a firm grasp on what they believe and why they believe it. Our kids are hungry to know the truth, and we must be the ones to teach them. Before the scientific age, people derived a sense of purpose from their spiritual belief system. The encounters with ghosts, demons and other spiritual apparitions heighten their ancient belief in the hereafter.  In today’s society the belief in the spiritual world is limited to a somewhat token belief in God, ghost and spirits are nothing but a figment of a fertile imagination.   The spiritual belief system has come under attack, by the failure of many to understand the teaching of science.    As scientific knowledge has been increased, biblical knowledge has been increasingly rejected, or simply forgotten, resulting in widespread lack of understanding of why humankind existed in the first place.  

When the question is asked, do science and the Bible agree, without any serious contemplation of the adverse effects, it is stated that science and the Bible disagree.  With this attitude our young are sent to schools where they receive an in-depth study of the teaching of science.   Science teaches its students to believe in that which it can prove and to discard that which cannot be proven.  This attitude has allowed our younger generation to discard the teaching of the Bible without resorting to the cavalier approach of the sixties that declared God to be dead and redefine God as a state of mine.

In the ancient days the belief in the spirit world was just as important as a belief in the natural world.  Today the belief in the spirit world has been debunked and left unbelievable even by many Christians.  Matthew 14:26 presents a striking example of the disciples expressing their belief in the spirit world. “And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.”  Now Matthew 17:3 gives us an example of Jesus holding a conversation with two deceased religious leaders. “And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”  There really is no need to try and explain this.

The false teaching of the Bible has presented God in an unbelievable manner.  As the physical world yielded up its secret, humanity became less central in the ultimate scheme of things.  Lack of knowledge or a clear purpose in life has resulted in a kind of existential anxiety with diminished inspiration about and toward life. Anxiety breeds moods of depression.  It is hard to be positive in a universe void of purpose.  It is hard to be upbeat when science has made it possible for the human race to destroy itself.

 There is hope.  Jesus Christ tells us, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).   This highjacked and misused scripture should be the bases of our hope, not a promise of financial security.  To have hope, we need to learn God’s purpose for human life.  The Bible teaches us about God’s purpose.  God’s design includes a plan that offers eternal life to everyone who believes (Romans 6:23), and defer to everlastiong punishment to those who forsake him.

The young Sunday school student looked up at her mother with glowing affection as they toured the museum exhibits.  Her mother was also her Sunday school teacher at the local church and she was sure her mother knew the answer to her question.  Her Science teacher had given her an answer that to her young mind, she was not satisfied with.  When they walked into the display room the huge statues of the dinosaurs stood in full majesty.   Mama, the young girl said while tugging at her mother’s hand, “Why are there no dinosaurs in the Bible?”  The mother answer, "The Bible and science don't always agree."

To be continued

With Love and Kindness? Part 3 of 3

This new gospel of ‘love and kindness’ is a flawed gospel, the same as any other gospel that is not the Gospel of the Kingdom.   The name is a pseudonym at best used to demonize members of the household of faith.   It is  based upon snippets of scripture taken out of the context of which they were spoken and applied to our daily lives.  The promulgation of this gospel is a means of camouflaging and justifying sin.  Christians are urged not to judge or condemn, but to project a gospel of love and kindness.  This is equivalent to disarming the enemy, then engage him in battle.  This urging has rendered the Word of God impotent.  Jesus did not hesitate to cast out demons and the use of the whip was an acceptable tool.  

The new science teacher stood before his unruly class and informed them, “I was not sent here to give any of you a failing grade, my job is to teach you so that you will pass”…   Can it be inferred from the above statement that nobody in the class would fail?  At the end of the school year the failure rate was forty-four percent, did the teacher fail to perform his duties?  Who failed who?  The young student standing in the teacher’s office, eyes fill with tears stammered out, “you said you was not going to fail us.”  Maybe the answer to this puzzle can be found in the last part of his speech. 

John 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  The purpose of the science teacher was not to fail students.

Mankind deserved condemnation, and it would have been right to have pronounced it; but God was willing that there should be an offer of pardon made through the action of his Son and after that condemnation and judgment.  If we study the teaching of Jesus, we would learn that Jesus is saying I don’t condemn you, you condemn yourself. 

The science teacher reflected back on the speech he had given the class.  My closing words were, “If you fail to take advantage of what I have to offer, then you will fail.  I gave you all of the tools, I even gave you all of the answers.  You failed yourself by refusing to live up to your potential.”

1 John 3:20-21  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.If our heart condemn us, we are condemned.  In the presence of the gospel all sin is condemned.  When the true Gospel is presented all sin is condemned.

Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  The opposite is if we choose to walk after the flesh we are condemned.  John 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Because of this love and kindness extended by God, certain peculiarities were extended.  Yet, when Jesus said, “ask and it shall be given”, does not mean we can say, Lord, deliver me from the storm and it will be done.  A common sense application would have John the Baptist crying out, “Lord, deliver me.”   Instead of Paul saying, “I am ready to be offered”, maybe he should have said, “Jesus, if you love me,  deliver me from this storm.”

Now we know the story, because the bible is a history of God’s interaction with his creation.  The Bible is not a book of platitudes to be surgically separated and used as a post or prop as we complete our journey of life.  The Bible tells us how it all began and it tells us how it is going to end. The Bible is not a guidebook of how to stand on the banks of the Red Sea and invoke God to part the waters.  Nor was the Bible intended to be used as a motivational guidebook that tells us how to achieve richness. 

The Bible tells of a God who created man and how he loved humanity. It tells us of how mankind treated his creator and caused his anger and wrath to build.  The Bible teaches us that somewhere around four thousand years God showed his never-ending love for his chosen people.  A special and  chosen people to replenish the earth and have dominion over it after the Devil had brought ruin to his paradise.  These people, loved by God, followed a path that was contrary to God’s plan.  God showed his love by not destroying them, he divorces them and scattered them among the nations.  Then God became silent for four hundred years, and his wrath began to build.

In the fullness of time because of his undying love for his creation, he sent his son as defined in the Kingdom parables.   For a little more than three years, his son preached the message of the kingdom.  His chosen people turned on him and secretly made plans to kill him.  Following in the footsteps of his Father, his Son proclaims that there is no greater love than this; ”a man will lay down his life for his friend”.  Before he left this earth he told his follower not to be dismayed, “I am going to send you a comforter who will guide you into the way of truth.  The comforter, the Holy Spirit would reside in the heart of man, and man would show his love for God by protecting the spirit of God.  Man would present his body a living sacrifice, Holy and acceptable to God.  The conclusion of the matter, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit has attempted to engage humanity in a dialog of astronomical proportion. 

Many today still do not fully understand the ramifications of the words Jesus uttered on the cross.  “It finished” 

In the Garden of Eden, the Devil used the Word of God to lead Eve down a path contrary to the spoken word of God.  For some unholy reason, unknown to many, we ascribe to live a life after our own choosing and strive to force God to honor the promises made to the Children of Israel.  Motivational speakers claim God is parting the Red Sea, but there is no separation of the waters.  God is a God of love, but isn’t there is a limit to his love.

For God so loved the world that he gave or sent his only begotton son, what transpired after that was a plea for mercy from the son of God.  His cry was, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.  The concept of a God extending his everlasting love is not scriptural.  Revelation depicts an angry God who anger is restrained by the intercession of his son and the works of the Holy spirit.

A message that portrays the workings of the father, Son and the Holy Spirit as an adventure in the application of love and kindness fails to project the true message of God.  But the real question is, do we still believe in God?

With Love and Kindness? Part 2 of 3

“Love and kindness” and “thou shall not judge”, has become two of the most famous buzz phrases in an overly permissive society.  The use of these phrases has caused the true Christian message to be  dumb-down and to adhere to the guidelines established by the government pertaining to hate messages.  The condemnation of sin is controversial and is considered hate speech, as God and sin become relative.  The admonition of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:2  is quickly cast aside and the contextual nature of the scripture is often overlooked in favor of presenting a gospel that is not controversial.

A Gospel that is non confrontational is more capable of providing for the bottom line of the organized church.  It ascribed to the scripture that says, “let both grow together until the harvest…”  The proliferation of the organized church has left many struggling for a message that embraces all to come together and enjoy the entertainment aspect of Christianity.

As we engage each other in this holiday season, there is a constant reminder of the of the message God gave in Jeremiah 31:3 to the prophet concerning the Children of Israel, and I reiterate, this message was to Jeremiah concerning the Children of Israel.  God’s message was, it was with love and kindness that he had drawn them.  One of the interesting aspects of this proclamation is that God is saying when you were slaves under the guardianship of the Egyptian rulers; I extended to you my love and kindness.  I allowed you to grow and flourish, and when you became a nation, I delivered you.  He is saying, the hardship you endured was a test to see if you could and help you survive as the children of God and fulfilling his purpose of subduing and establishing an earthly kingdom.

Now if we shape it and twist it, stumbling over the Ages and Dispensation, claiming the children of Israel is the church or the world, we create certain anomalies within the scripture that cannot be sustained through Bible research, the application of the Knowledge of God or just plain common sense.  In the beginning God demonstrated his love for man by creating him in his own image and bestowing upon him the gift of freedom of choice.  It is a biblical fact that man’s first encounter with the devil resulting in the abuse of this great gift.   The freedom of choice infused with the knowledge of good and evil paved the way for the justification of sin in todays society.  It became easy to say God will not punish me because he love me.  Because God often spoke of his love and kindness the fear of God has been tempered.

The message of love and kindness have become the gospel of love and kindness because it embraces man in his sinful nature.  God loves me, therefore I am blessed is a misnomer that has invaded the church and the world outside of the church.  God knows and understand, if I sin, he will forgive me because he loves me.  If this is true, then what was the purpose of Jesus suffering and dying on the cross? 

Christianity has always existed as a religion that sought to condemn the evilness of the world. Within the last one hundred years the knowledge of good and evil has grown expeditiously and the fear of God has decreased.  God, Christianity and the Bible are subjected to modern day interpretations.  There is no hesitation to speak out against the one God concept, rearrange the scripture and even use the scripture to justify sin.  If the scripture  is used to condemn, then love and kindness take center stage, and it is backed up with Matthew 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  If that is the case, how do we reconcile this? 2 Timothy 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Ephesians 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 

This command of judging refers to the rash, censorious, and unjust judgment. See Roman 2:1. Luke 6:37 explains it in the sense of condemning.  Christ does not condemn judging as a magistrate, for that, when, according to justice, is lawful and necessary. Nor does he condemn our forming an opinion of the conduct of others, for it is impossible not to form an opinion of conduct that we know to be evil. But what he refers to is a habit of forming a judgment hastily, harshly, and without an allowance for every palliating circumstance, and of expressing such an opinion harshly and unnecessarily when formed. It rather refers to private judgment than judicial, and perhaps primarily to the habits of the scribes and Pharisees whom he was addressing.

That Christ does not here forbid judicial judging by the civil magistrate, nor ecclesiastical judging by the church governors, whose office gives them authority so to do. 2 Timothy 4:2.  Nor does he forbid one Christian to pass a judgment on the notorious actions of another, seeing the duty of reproof cannot be performed without it; but it is such a rash and censorious judging our brother, as is void of love towards him, as is accompanied with contempt of him, especially if we have been guilty of the same or greater sins before him.  John 7:24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

The application of God’s love as expressed in the ancient days was much different from what we perceive to be an expression of his love today.  Many of us growing up in the early sixties knew our parent loved us, yet they would punish us harshly for our wrong doing.  Many times our idea of suffering was nothing but the performance of a job that need to be done.  God loved Joseph, but he was allowed to suffer and endure hardship to prepare him for a task that he had been selected to perform.  God loved Moses, but first Moses had to endure the hardship of a good soldier.   Even so, God often spoke of his love for the seed of Abaraham, yet they were to linger in slavery and their journey to freedom was not without punishment, because they fail to obey their creator.

Many ethnic groups or nations have served in the servitude of another group or nation, rather than the acceptance of the struggle as stepping stones, their hearts have become hard and the price that has been paid by those who pave the way has been desecrated.  The Children of Israel were guilty of the same desecration.  It began soon after their deliverance, when they began to wish they had remained in Egypt, then they began to question God because of their suffering.   They even began to question God as to the reason for their suffering.  Because of their questioning and disrespect for God, they were scattered among the nations.

After the Gospel of grace was extended to all mankind, suffering became a necessary and productive element to prepare a person or group to reign.  The suffering that we are encouraged to endure in no ways detract from the love and kindness of the father.  If it were not for the love of the Father, we would have long been destroyed.  We have created a God who is helping us and carrying us through the storm, but in reality Jesus is standing at the finish line with his hands outstretched saying, “if you can endure, I will give you a crown of life.”

With Love and Kindness? Part 1 of 3

During a 2014 international church convention, a ranking Bishop spoke somewhat graphically concerning the sins of humanity. He was preaching against the gay movement that had openly presented itself as an integral part of the church convention. His sermon was streamed live over the internet and was subject to world scrutiny. Some said his sermon addressed the subject in a despairing manner. A media storm erupted and other ministers and convention attendee began distancing themselves from him. His sermon was classified as a message of hate. He should have known those who had chosen an alternate lifestyle under the sanction of the government, are protected from hate speech. 

He was chastised for not following the precepts of the scripture that say, "with love and kindness have I drawn them". A search of the scripture for support was found in Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. This is a conversation between Jeremiah and God in reference to his chosen people, the Children of Israel, who was in line to receive a harsh punish from God. God often sent his prophets to a city or people to predict doom and destruction, but because of his love for his creation he often gave them a chance to repent. This scripture is taken out of the context of which it was spoken, transported across dispensations, applied to the church and used by the Devil to suppress the criticism of sin in any form. A full reading of the chapter would show that this was not God’s intent.

With the implementation of the Faith Based initiatives and the acceptance of funding from the government many religious denominations have opted to allow the federal government to define and set guidelines for issues that once was considered religious in nature or controversial. Issues such as, when do life began, what is the definition of family, marriage and even the definition of hate, These are just a few of the questions that the government has been allowed to answer. The answer to these questions is not based upon the knowledge of God rather they are based upon the knowledge of good and evil. As we have shown in another post, there is a difference between the knowledge of God and the knowledge of good and evil. The government's answer to these questions are not without the infringed upon the rights of certain individuals or groups and the religious community.

Hate speech is speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits. The application and enforcement of this rule, though somewhat ambiguous, can only be achieved through the infringement upon the constitutional rights of others. Hate in any form cannot be eradicated by the enacting or enforcement of laws. When a law is enacted or enforced to control a type of hatred, the end result is the suppression and intensification of the act itself, which become a ticking time bomb. If you doubt the veracity of this statement, tune in to the six o clock news, open the newspaper or simply take a look around your community. 

Often we speak of racism, a condition of the heart, as if laws can eradicate this created blight. Racism, the illegitimate child of hate, came into existence when the knowledge of good and evil preformed an unholy act.  It sought to control the emotion of a person's heart by taking from one and giving to another in the name of justice. Racism and hatred is without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits. It exists within the home, community and the church.  Racism possesses a dual personality or polarity the same as electricity.  To exist, it must infect or rely upon an opposite, opposing hosts. Racism feeds on racism, yet it is controllable, one must be willing to turn the switch off.

The spiritual church that is supposed to exist within our heart and serve a purpose within the home and community is overshadowed by the organized church that exist as an earthly entity. Many leaders of these fine organized churches have opted for money, fame or glory and is operating as well paid motivational speakers, they have become guilty of manipulating and perverting the word of God. The church never was about making money or lording over God's people. The church was a refuge from the storm. The church is suppose to help us be ready as we prepare for the coming of the bridegroom. The question that should be addressed is, do we believe in God, or are we just play acting? 

There is a failure or disconnect between the organized church and the emerging generation. The church, the Bible and even the God of Abraham no longer hold the sacred place that they once enjoyed. The fault is not the new translations that are emerging, it is the different interpretation of the Word of God that is causing confusion in the community of faith. It is easy to see why those who are, "of the world", as Jesus would say, find it hard to believe the message of the church today.

Why has the Church erased the true gospel that saves perfectly from sin, and in its place, created another gospel without any power at all? The gospel and God have been transformed into a money making machine. Making money to provide for one's well being and salvation is two separate entities that exist on two extremely different planes, one is natural and the other is spiritual and should never be combined. When we combine the natural with the spiritual we are committing spiritual fornication. 

There are obliviously many flaws in our interpretation and application of the Holy scriptures, especially when we refuse to follow certain guidelines. The Holy Scriptures are not a systematic treatise on Theology, History, Science or any other topic. The scriptures are a revelation from God of His Plan and Purpose down through the Ages, separated by dispensations, as pertaining to the earth and the human race. They were given to us piecemeal "at sundry times and in divers manners." Heb 1:1. Holy men of God spake, and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit during a period of 1604 years, extending from B. C. 1492 to A. D. 100. The book of Genesis tells how the creative works of God began, Revelation tells us how all of this is going to end. 

There are two ages spoken of in the Holy scripture, before "Time" the "Alpha" or "Creatie Ages," and after "Time" the "Omega," or "Ages of the ages." In "Time" there are three "Ages" and eight "Dispensations." The "Ages" are 1. The Antediluvian Age. 2. The Present Age. 3 The Age Of Ages. The "Third Age" is a "Dual Age," composed of the "Millennial Age" and the "Perfect Age."

The "Dispensations" are, 1. The Edenic, 2. The Antediluvian, 3. The Postdiluvian, 4. The Patriarchal, 5. The Legal, 6. The Ecclesiastical, 7. The Messianic, 8. The Dispensation Of The "Fulness Of Time".

The difference between an "Age" and a "Dispensation" is, that an "Age" stands for a period between two great physical changes in the earth's surface, while a "Dispensation" stands for a "moral" or "probationary" period in the world's history. For illustration, the "Present Age" began with "The Flood," and ends with the return of Christ to the Mount of Olives. "The Flood" caused such physical and climatic changes that the length of human life was reduced from 900 to 100 years; all this will be reversed when Christ comes back, when the whole contour of the Land of Palestine will be changed (Zec 14:4-10; Eze 47:1-12), and men shall live again for upwards of 1000 years. Isa 65:20. 

The Dispensations are probationary periods, in each one the form of "Administration" is different and progressive in each "Dispensation." For illustration, the Administration of the "Legal Dispensation" was that of "LAW," of the "Present Dispensation" is "GRACE," and of the one to follow is "RIGHTEOUSNESS." 

Now in simpler form here is where the problem began. To combine the Dispensation of the Law and the Dispensation of Grace is to deny the purpose of Christ's suffering and dying. When we take the Old Testament and the New Testament and combine them together without regard to Age and Dispensation we end up with a polluted mess that can neither be sustained through the Word of God, the Knowledge of God or common sense. When we search the scripture searching for a word or phrase to validate a point, we are guilty of shaping the word of God. The Bible becomes a tool for manipulating the emotions of those who are clinging to a dubious indoctrination. 

To understand the Word of God, we should consider, who is talking, who is being spoken to and what the conversation is about. Now Matthew 4:4 comes into play, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." If the phrase "live by', means "do everything", then we have placed ourselves in an untenable position. Many who claim to have achieved this standard often find themselves amiss in the face of the many commands given by God in the Old Testament. In a letter to Timothy, Paul explained it this way. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

The content of our posting for the next few weeks will be based upon what constitute Love and Kindness. The message of the churches is changing to reflect a more loving and kinder message. The fear of God has long been cast aside and judgement is a thing that is rarely spoken of. When Jesus met the Gentile woman at the well he referred to her as a dog. Matthew 15:25-27 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. It is undeniable that the Jews referred to the Gentiles as dogs

Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

The governments of our great nation in cooperation with many of our organized churches has decreed that to threaten a person with hell fire and destruction constitute hate speech. To preach against deviant sexual orientations is hate speech and is to be avoided. 

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

With Love and Kindness, Continued